Maximum Ride: Clone Confusion
by Angel-Jade666
Summary: Set after MR4. When Itex decide to do a rather. . .different experiment. Not like any other fanfiction you've ever read- I can guarentee that much. Chapter 17 up now! Please R&R!
1. Chapter 1

Ok, so this is my first story! Please review so I can try and make my writing better. Really, **please** review!!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Maximum Ride, or any of the other characters that James Patterson owns.

* * *

_"In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils of the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among **false brethern**." -II Corinthians ch. 11, v. 26, The Bible (Authorised Version 1611)_

- - - - -

**Chapter 1**

**- - - - -**

We had been flying for about half an hour before the Voice saw fit to tell us where to go.

_**Max- you're going the wrong way.**_

Well that was just plain irritating.

_Where should we go then, oh mighty Wonder-Voice??_

Although the Voice never showed any emotion I could have sworn I heard it give me an exasperated sigh.

_**Head towards Arizona. I'll give you more directions then.**_

_Oh are we going to visit mom and Ella?_

No answer. Well that's new.

"OK, guys" I called to the flock. They all turned to look at me. "The Voice just told me we're going the wrong way. We're gonna head towards Arizona."

"Are we gonna visit you're mom? That'd be so cool! It's ages since we've seen her and Ella! And we could bake cookies! And you're mom's cooking is sooo nice! We can have lots of yummy Mexican food too, it'll be great!! They'll be back from Virginia by the time we get there, right? What if their not and-"

"_Nudge!_" Iggy shouted over her.

"Sorry." Nudge said quietly. She looked as if she wanted to say more, but, mercifully, didn't.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Fang edging closer to me. I looked over, confused. He was obviously straining under Akila's unholy weight.

"Want me to take her for a while?" I asked, nodding towards the dog in his arms.

"Ok." I rolled my eyes at his typically short statement, and reached out to take Akila from him. With our huge wingspans though, it was hard for us to get very near each other, so in the end Fang had to toss her across the five-foot gap (we had managed to get _fairly_ close). The thing was though, Akila was an eighty-pound malamute- not particularly aero-dynamic. The second Fang let go of her, she started to fall.

I threw myself into a steep dive, trying to catch Akila. I could just about hear Total's screams of anguish over the sound of the wind rushing in my ears.

When I was about 100 feet in the air I managed to grab her. Her weight then pulled me down another 10 feet or so but, miraculously, I held my own.

_I'm gonna kill Total for falling for such a heavy dog._

Once I had caught back up with the others I glared at Total.

"What'd I do?" He asked innocently from the baby-carrier-thing that Iggy had on.

I rolled my eyes at him in frustration, but just about managed to refrain from saying anything to him.

"Don't worry Akila, I won't let them kill you." It was now my turn to scowl at Total, something which I did wholeheartedly.

"Why'd you have to fall in love with such a damned heavy dog?" I asked shifting Akila's weight from one arm to the other.

Total scowled at me, and started on a rant about how we were mistreating the 'love of his life' which lasted for atleast half a hour. And when he did stop, it was only to come out with:

"Can we stop for a potty break now?"

Simply fantastic.

This was going to be one _long _journey.

* * *

I'll update as soon as I can! I have exams at the moment, so there mightn't be another chapter for a couple of days.

Please review... you know you want to!!


	2. Chapter 2

I'm gonna cry. I got 38 hits, but only 1 review! ONE!!

goes off into random corner to cry for a few hours

So… SUMMER HOLIDAYS!! YAY!!

And since I'm in my Summery happy bubble there will be another chapter!

But first…

**sunshinerosesandDEATH**: Thank you soooooo much for reviewing. Cookies for you!! You are right, my story is about clones, but that Fang wasn't one of them. I could give you a million reasons for Fang throwing dogs at people such as:

He was fed up of carrying Akila.

OR

He was really frustrated that he had carried Akila all this way and wanted to give her to someone else, and temporarily forgot to think logically.

But the main reason is that I was writing him slightly OOC, and yes, I know if I don't get my act together soon, this story is going to get VERY confusing Very fast. Thanks as well for the tip about Akila, I would go back and change it, but… I won't.

Anyway, on with the story.

Disclaimer: I don't own Maximum Ride. I do however own this confusing plot, the new Director, and the incompetent overlooking scientist.

* * *

The Director looked around the room and sighed.

She couldn't understand how so many mistakes had been made by Itex in the past.

"Ok," she said at last. "There is only one more experiment left to discuss."

All of the scientists present sat up a little straighter and gave the director their full attention.

"The flock have been described as failures in the past, but that was more due to poor perspective than actual fact. I believe that the mere fact that they have survived this long, longer than any of Itex's other experiments is a sign of their success. There is still a lot that can be learned from them, and I have already planned how the next experiment shall be conducted. They are headed towards Arizona. Once they are there we shall begin. Are there any questions?"

No-one said a word, and the Director nodded, satisfied.

"Very well then. Here are your instructions; you have 12 hours to complete them."

* * *

Two days on and we were nearly at Arizona. It would have been faster, but we had to keep stopping to switch who was carrying Akila (we weren't going to try _that_ in the air again), and for food and toilet breaks. I checked my watch; there was still plenty of flying-time left. With any luck we would make it beyond Arizona.

The whole 'stop and visit mom' idea was still really tempting, but I didn't want to put her and Ella in danger, and besides once we arrived there, I for one, would never want to leave. And then who would save the world?

* * *

"Are the clones ready?" The Director asked the overlooking scientist as she marched into the room.

"Pretty much… we are encountering some difficulties though…"

The scientist chewed his lip nervously as he slowly backed away from the Director.

"What have you managed to do wrong _now_?" The Director asked, exasperated.

"Well… well, now this one," he said indicating a startlingly realistic Nudge clone.

"This one… well you see…" He chewed his lip again.

"What?" The Director asked, for what felt the like umpteenth time.

"Well we did as you said, and checked all the files we have on each flock member. It said that this one," He jerked a thumb at 'Nudge', "is very partial to snickers bars. So we tried to alter her DNA structure to make _her_ partial to them as well. But…."

He trailed off, obviously reluctant to continue.

"What did you do?"

"Instead of making her like snickers bars and everything about them, we did it wrong and she… and she… well she now has a severe allergy to nuts."

He wiped the sweat off his brow and chewed his lip again.

"Very well, we can work around that. Is there anything else?" The Director looked at him sternly.

"Well… errr… Several of the older clones have hormonal imbalances… They… well they may be prone to throw random temper tantrums, have abnormal growth spurts, and we think a couple of them may be attracted to the wrong flock member…""

The Director raised her eyebrows.

"How bad?"

"Well… If we put the correct clones in the correct flocks with the correct non-clones… It could be made less worse. But not fantastic by any stretch of the imagination."

"Well enjoy finishing this job." The Director said coldly.

"Why?"

"It's the last one you'll ever get."

She glanced at her watch.

"You have two hours."

And with that, the Director stalked out of the room, leaving the bemused lip-chewing scientist in her wake.

* * *

It was getting late, so we had decided to try finding somewhere to crash. I wasn't sure exactly where we were, but I think we were in the general Arizona area.

"I see a cave!" Angel called happily.

"Really? I don't." Iggy joked.

"I'm rolling my eyes at you Iggy. Ok down we go!"

We all dived down to the cave below and one by one swooped in to land.

As soon as I looked around I felt an unpleasant lurching in my stomach.

This wasn't just any old cave.

It was the cave that Fang had kissed me in.

It was the cave that I'd ran away from.

It was the cave that I'd left Fang in.

It was the cave that I'd really like to forget.

I risked a glance over at Fang. Although his face was as emotionless as ever, I could tell that he had recognised the cave too.

Great. Just fantastic.

* * *

The scientist shifted edgily from one foot to another outside the Director's office.

He needed to speak to her, but was terrified.

He just knew she wouldn't appreciate the fact that there was another problem.

"Come in."

He jumped about a foot in the air, but managed to regain himself in time to stroll into the Director's office and pretend that everything was fine.

Of course, the Director saw right through it.

"What have you managed to do now?"

"Well… you see… We are having some trouble cloning the Malamute. As it was never resident in any of our Schools, we have very little to go by. If however, we could take some DNA samples, see the animal and maybe take several photographs of it, this problem could be overcome."

"Very well then. We can delay carrying out Step 2 until you have created the clones. Leave the real one where it is though. Any photos or DNA samples necessary can be gotten whilst Step 1 is being carried out."

"Thank you." The scientist scuttled out of the room before the Director had a chance to scold him again.

* * *

After several fruitless protests I had finally agreed to stay in the cave. Most of the flock (and Total) thought I had gone mad (well, _madder_), wanting to continue flying now, I didn't have a clue what Fang thought and Angel thought I was being ridiculous. Which was rich, coming from a mind controlling 6-year-old, who could turn into an even weirder bird-kid-thing at will.

_That's mean_

Great, just what I needed, another voice in my head.

_Come on Max, its me, Angel._

_I knew that… no really I did. And I didn't mean to mean Ange__. I was just messing._

_It's ok. And Fang doesn't really want to stay here either, but he doesn't want to say anything._

Ok well, when _did_ Fang want to say anything?

_Thanks Angel._

After that Angel went off to play with Akila, Total and Celeste.

Iggy heated up some food for supper and we all sat around our little fire, with me and Fang avoiding each other as much as possible.

Well I was avoiding Fang anyway, I don't actually know if he was avoiding me. But I'm guessing he was cause once we had eaten he stood up and grabbed the laptop.

"I'll take first watch."

* * *

"If everything isn't ready by now, your entire future is in jeopardy."

The scientist chewed his lip.

"No worries- everything is ready to go."

"Well then, why are you still here?"

* * *

I woke up in the middle of the night after hearing a loud crashing sound.

"Wha'?" I said blearily

"Don't worry, everything's ok." Fang said coming over. "Perfect even. The flock are right beside you, see? They all look exactly the same as before don't they? Don't worry, it's not like we're clones or anything. We're us alright. Everything's normal. Perfectly normal. Amazingly normal. Plain. Ordinary."

"Ok." I was so tired that I just drifted back to sleep. It wasn't until the next morning that I noticed how odd it was for Fang to say something as long as that, and why did he seem to think that I thought him and the rest of the flock were clones?

* * *

So that is that chapter. PLEASE review and tell me what you thought. Please!! I'll give you cookies!!

Happy Summer!!

A.J.

Go on press the little purple button... you know you want to...


	3. Chapter 3

* * *

Ok, so here's the next chapter. It would've been up sooner, but I've got to be the world's slowest typist and there was really nice weather yesterday. So I was outside, not in at the computer. Also I didn't want the chapter to be too short. But it's here now and that's the main thing, right?

So anyway, I've a question:

Which would you prefer; more short chapters **or** less longer chapters??

Please answer in your review!!

And speaking of reviews I'd better reply to them now…

**Spriinter**: Hahaha!! I'd love to hear that song!! And since you were all so worried about Fang I decided to do his POV first!

**Captain Boe- at your service**: I don't know how to reply to this, so** Thanks for reviewing!!**

**Give up your Predjudices**: Of course its weird- I wrote it!!

**Thanks again to everyone who reviewed!! It's really appreciated!!**

So, on with the story…

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Maximum Ride. But I do own this mad story and all the clones!!

* * *

**Fang's POV**

When Fang woke up, he instantly noticed the strong chemically smell that he associated with the School.

Not good. Slowly he opened his eyes to the bright florescent light and looked around.

He was strapped down to a table with Velcro straps.

On his immediate left was Max, looking as if she was about to cry. Which was reallyweird. The scientists must have done something really bad to her to make her look like that.

Beside her was Angel, and beside her was Total.

Opposite Total Akila seemed to still be unconscious.

Nudge was awake and was whispering something to Iggy, beside her.

Gazzy was beside Iggy, lying there staring at the ceiling.

Fang looked back at Max, worried.

"Are you ok?" He mouthed. He didn't want the rest of the flock to notice. Not yet, anyway.

She nodded hesitantly. Fang couldn't help noticing how delicate she looked. This was _really_ weird.

He glanced around the room one more time before he began pulling at the straps on his wrists and legs. After only a minute or so of tugging, he felt the strap on his left wrist give.

The problem was that he'd been pulling so hard that now his arm followed the momentum and he whacked himself in the face. Hard.

Head spinning he pulled himself up and opened the other straps holding him to the table and jumped off.

He hurried straight over to Max, and undid her straps. She seemed to be ok-ish, but she still looked close to tears.

"You sure you're alright?" Again she nodded, seeming slightly more sure of herself than before.

He moved on, and freed the rest of the flock from their table-prisons.

"Ok, guys," He said, making sure they were all ok, "Let's get out of here!"

He moved to the door, and to his surprise, it wasn't locked.

He held it open for the others to pass through.

Nudge grabbed Iggy's hand.

"Here I'll help you 'cause you're blind." An unusually short thing for Nudge to say. And you'd swear Iggy didn't know that he was blind.

The two of them ran out, with Angel hot on their heels. Gazzy snatched up Total and ran out after them.

Then Max hurried out, still looking oddly fragile.

Fang grabbed Akila and ran out after the others.

They hurtled down the corridors, with Nudge in the lead.

Fang hoped she knew where she was leading them too.

Eventually they reached a dead end.

There was a large window, taking up most of the wall.

Nudge grabbed a chair which was against the far wall and smashed the window.

"We're out!" She called happily.

_This was too easy._

One by one they climbed out the window and leapt into the air.

They were free.

* * *

**Max POV**

The first thing that I noticed when I woke up was that no-one was keeping watch.

The second thing- Total was barking like mad.

Yes, Total was barking, which was one of the weirdest things that I'd ever encountered.

If only I'd known how much weirder my day was about to become.

"C'mon guys, up and at 'em!" I shook my flock awake.

Nudge wiped the sleep out of her eyes, and grabbed her iPod and started listening to it, without a word.

She must just be feeling a bit under the weather.

"Why isn't breakfast ready?" Iggy whined

"Cause you're about to make it. There's some spare food in my rucksack that you can use." It was odd Iggy asking where breakfast was. I guess he must've been joking.

"But I'm _blind_" Iggy groaned. "You're a girl for goodness sake, can't you cook?"

"Don't speak to Max like that, what'd she ever do to you?" Fang said coolly.

"Look guys, it's fine, Iggy you can stop messing around now, I'm starving."

Iggy slowly got up and oh so slowly mooched over to my rucksack and began to look for food.

"Max, can I do your hair?" asked Gazzy. I looked at him in solid shock for almost an entire minute.

"What?" I said feebly, still in shock.

"I want to do your hair and make it all pretty."

"Who're you, and what have you done with the real Gaseman?"

And then he burst into tears. Yes, the Gaseman was crying his eyes out for no explainable reason.

"Eh… Gazzy, are you ok?" I asked tentatively.

"Stop crying now, and say sorry to Max for upsetting her." Said Fang, coming over, yesterday's awkwardness forgotten.

I frowned at Fang confused.

Then I looked over at Total, who was still barking like mad.

Then I glanced over at Nudge, who hadn't spoken all day.

Then I looked at Angel, playing with Celeste like an innocent six-year-old.

I didn't even have to look at Iggy to hear him stomping about, moaning about having to cook.

I looked at Fang again, the previous night's conversation flooding back to me.

"Oh. Crap." I said under my breath.

At that moment, I felt that I deserved an award for slowness.

"Max," Angel said, oblivious to my sudden discovery.

"Yeah…" I answered tentatively, fearing the worst.

"Can I have a Barbie doll? And will you please tell Iggy to stop whining, he's making Celeste cry."

"Sure…"

_Are you really Angel? Can you read my mind?? Angel, please answer!!_

"Max are you ok?" Angel asked, looking worried.

"Yeah I'm great! Ok I'll buy you a Barbie the next time we're in a town."

"Yipee!!" Angel squealed.

Fang looked at her sternly.

"Be careful not to give Max a headache with all that screaming."

I scowled at him.

"Since when did I need you to stick up for me?"

I almost bust out laughing at the look of bewildered hurt on the Fang-clone's face.

I looked back at the Gaseman who was now sobbing wholeheartedly into Akila's fur.

"Are you ok?" I asked, slightly worried.

"Yeah… just… Fang's being really mean. I didn't mean to upset you, I just wanted to do your hair."

"It's ok," I said gently.

Even though I knew he was a clone I still didn't like to see him cry. He looked far too much like the real Gazzy.

I patted him on the shoulder and looked over to the Iggy-clone.

"Iggy, is breakfast nearly ready? I asked. I'd decided that I may as well eat before I ditched these clones.

"Yeah, but don't expect anything great. I _am_ blind after all."

Ha! Could he be any more unconvincing if he tried?

We gathered around the fire, the Fang-clone still in a sulk.

Iggy handed out the food.

I looked at the portion I'd been given.

"Ugh, what _is_ this?" I said making a face.

"How dare you give Max unsatisfactory food?" The Fang-clone said pompously. Then he seemed to remember what I'd said to him the last time he'd tried to do something like that, and promptly shut up.

"Well, it's not my fault! I couldn't see it!" The Iggy-clone said defensively.

I rolled my eyes and ate as much of the vile stuff as I could, before giving up.

I looked around the cave.

Was it possible that the Akila here wasn't a clone?

I decided to take her with me, just in case.

I got up, wiping my hands on my jeans.

I grabbed my rucksack, and Akila. Then I went to the edge of the cave.

"Where're you going?" Angel asked.

"Oh come on." I said coolly. "Did you _really_ think that your stupid clone act would fool me?"

And with that I flew out of the cave, ready to go find my real flock.

* * *

So that's the chapter!! Hopefully there'll be another one soon!!

PLEASE REVIEW!!

… you know you want to…

A.J.


	4. Chapter 4

OK, since no-one answered my question:

"Which would you prefer; more short chapters **or** less longer chapters??"

I'm going to presume you want more short chapters.

If I'm wrong, just review and tell me!

Now to reply to reviews:

**toast rox**: Who's Edgar Allen Poe?? I've never heard of him.

**Spriinter****: **Hahahaha I **loved **the song!! It was sooo funny!

**Captain Boe- at your service****:** We'll have Akilas up to here- indicates a very high height. But don't worry there'll be enough clones to look after them all! I think I've just realised how difficult and confusing this story is gonna get… Ah well.

**sunshinerosesandDEATH**: Yeah, I had a funny feeling that there wasn't an "e" in Gasman… Thanks!

**Give up your Predjudices**: I loved how you noticed that Fang is with a group of clones as well! Hopefully this chapter will answer some of your questions!

**Aqua279**: I'm glad you like it! Reviews like that make me happy!

**Thanks again to everyone who reviewed!!**

So… Here we go!

**Disclaimer**: I sadly don't own Maximum Ride. I do own my mad ideas, and all these clones though!!

* * *

**Fang POV**

They flew for about an hour or so before Nudge said she was hungry, and then Total needed to go to the toilet.

Max still seemed close to tears so Fang decided he'd better take over as leader for a while.

He sped up to fly at the front of the flock.

"Look, there's a forest down there, we'll stay there for the night" He said, pointing downwards

The others nodded, and wordlessly they headed down to the trees.

They ate a quick meal of tinned macaroni, and decided to go straight to sleep.

Fang chose a tall strong sturdy-looking tree with a good view to sleep in.

As he settled down in it he looked around at the rest of the flock.

Max sill looked weepy and was sitting in the tree beside his

Nudge and Iggy were chatting in whispers in a tree sort of opposite his.

Gazzy was curled up in his tree, clutching Total to his chest.

Angel was sitting uncomfortably in a branch, happily talking to herself.

Fang waited until the others were all more or less asleep before pulling out his laptop.

He didn't remember taking it with him when they'd been captured, but when they'd been escaping from the school he'd found it lying near the end of his table.

He switched it on and opened his blog.

But it had already been updated earlier that day.

He read the entry.

Yo,

Things aren't going so good at the moment. When we woke up this morning Max made Iggy cook breakfast. He wouldn't stop moaning then Angel and the Gasman joined in. I think it was just the last straw for her- she accused us all of being clones and left. I hope she's ok, wherever she is.

Fly on,

Fang

What the…

He stared at the page blankly.

Then he looked at some _other _entries from the last 24 hours.

Yo,

The school tried to capture us- again. But we're all good. I think they might've done something funny to Angel though. She keeps looking at me like I'm about to kill her. Ah, well.

Fly on,

Fang

Yo,

That stupid School stole my computer! So now we're in a library. Gazzy says it's not the first time we've been in a library. I think it is.

Fly on,

Fang

Yo,

The weirdest thing happened this morning. After a speedy escape from the school we settled in a cave for breakfast. And Iggy wanted to cook breakfast! It was actually really good though. Whoever would have known?

Fly on,

Fang

Yo,

Today's been awful. First- we had to escape from the school. And then, once we _did _get away Nudge wouldn't shut up! She's been talking non-stop all day! I don't know what's wrong with her. Hopefully it'll end soon.

Fly on,

Fang.

Yo,

Did anyone know Total could talk? He says we've all known for months, but this is definitely the first time any of us have heard a dog talking. Even Akila's getting freaked out by it. It's really weird. Maybe those scientists did something to him when we were captured by the school last night? I dunno.

Fly on,

Fang.

Fang looked at the screen in shock.

All of the entries had been posted within ten minutes of each other.

There had to be a logical explanation for this.

After a while he decided that there must be several Fang-clones, though it was hard to be sure how many.

He looked at the sleeping flock around him, with only two questions on his mind.

Were any of them real?

And if not, where were the real flock?

* * *

So that's it! Please answer my question (found at the start of the chapter) in your review!!

Thanks again to everyone who reviewed, and to those who didn't… now's as good a time as any to start!

A.J.


	5. Chapter 5

Ok, I'm guessing that no-one has a problem with more short chapters then. Which is fine by me.

Now to reply to reviews...

**Spriinter: **I've written more!

**Captain Boe- at your service: **Yeah, I was trying to do it the way JP does! I figured that if I said Fang's POV at the start it would make it less confusing. But I completely see your point, so I will fix it for this next chapter! …wait a minute… 3rd person Fang POV isn't in this chapter…

**sunshinerosesandDEATH**: Hahaha! Fang's are stupid… I'm gonna tell him you said that! Now to look up 'flying mutant bird kids' in the phone book…

**Give up your Pre****judices:** Ah-ha, you're clever! But not 100 percent right… But by far the closest yet! You get the A.J. Award for Cleverness!

Now! on with the story...

**Disclaimer**: I own Maximum Ride. And the sun. Actually, I've already succeeded in World Domination… And if you believe any of that you are an idiot.

* * *

**Max's POV**

The thing with being able to fly at amazingly fast speeds is this- It is absolutely no use whatsoever if you don't have a clue where you're going; and after several hours and a few stops here and there it gets kind of boring.

At first I'd been happy just to put as much distance as possible between me and the fake flock, but now it was becoming a bigger concern to find the real ones.

I tried to think through it logically, and came up with the following suggestions as to where the flock could be:

1.At the School

2.Free, but with a Max clone

3.More or less anywhere in the world.

I thought through my list again. It was _really_ gonna help… Not.

Sadly though, it was the best list that I had, so I decided to look into the fact that the flock might have been taken by the school.

Easily, I changed the direction I was zooming in and headed west instead.

In about five minutes or so I was much nearer the school.

Every bone in my body was itching to go find my flock immediately, but I knew that I wouldn't be much help to them until I had gotten some rest and my arms were no longer sore from carrying Akila. I spotted a large-ish cluster of trees and decided to stay there for the night.

I was just settling down, lamenting the fact that I didn't have anyone who could cook with me when I heard it.

A rustling sound was coming towards me.

I froze in the middle of opening my rucksack.

Part of me wanted to yell out 'Who's there', but I realised that that would be an incredibly stupid thing to do.

And then I saw who was making the noise, and my heart stopped.

Fang.

He was grinning, pulling someone along behind him.

"C'mon, just a bit farther!" He said, with a hint of laughter in his voice.

Nudge came into view behind him grinning from ear to ear.

"Oh, do we have to? The others can't see us from here, we're _miles_ away! _Please _Fangy"

I felt an awful churning feeling in my stomach.

"Fine then!" Fang said, trying to look put out, but failing miserably.

And before I had time to digest the oddness of it all, Fang and Nudge were in the middle of a full-fledged make-out session.

All I could feel was the acid in my stomach churning and churning. I felt tears threatening to pour down my face and I wanted to get sick.

It was worse than when Fang had been flirting with Dr. Amazing, - Brigid I think her name was.

It was even worse than seeing Fang with Lissa, The Red-Haired Wonder.

I suddenly realised I was still frozen in the middle of opening my rucksack, and without a moments hesitation I gathered it up and flung it at the pair of them with as much force as I could muster.

Before either Fang or Nudge could get over the shock I jumped down and pummelled them with my fists until they fell unconscious.

When my immediate anger had subsided I looked down at what I'd managed to do. I felt mega surges of guilt rush through me as I gazed down at Fang and Nudge.

Fang's nose was broken and he was going to have a huge black eye in the morning. Nudge's face was contorted with pain, and, by the looks of things, she had a broken arm and some broken ribs.

Now the tears did come, despite by best efforts.

Fang had gone off with Nudge.

Nudge had gone off with Fang.

And I had half-killed the both of them.

What sort of leader was I?

* * *

I think Max might have been slightly OOC, so sorry about that. Hopefully the chapter didn't turn out too bad.

Please **review** (hint HINT) and tell me what you thought!

A.J.


	6. Chapter 6

So here's the next chappie! I hope ye all like it!

Before we start though...

**Captain Boe- at your service****: **Well, I love that you love reviewing! I'm sorry about Max's OOC-ness; I'm trying to fix it for the next couple of chapters.

**sunshinerosesandDEATH****:** Mwahahaha! My ultra-confusing 'plot' has succeeded! All my wonderful reviewers are confused!

**Give up your Prejudices****: **Ok, now you're less close! I'll give you a hint: Your last guess was **one** word out. One very important word, that is.

**toast rox**: Ok I'll Google him… He's a dead American writer from the 1800's… Hang on… he was alive during the Great Irish Famine… I wonder if he knew any Irish people…?

**BlackWingsRainbowTips**: What if their not the clones?? (I'm not saying whether or not they are though)

**Disclaimer**: All I own is the sun-cream and the raincoat that my mom made me buy... I don't like raincoats though... can I swap it for Maximum Ride? No, didn't think so...

* * *

**3****rd**** Person Iggy POV**

Iggy was really confused.

They'd been captured by the school, but escaped really quickly.

Then they'd only flown for a short while, before stopping for breakfast.

But when he'd started cooking, just like he normally did everyone had gone into shock saying things like 'can blind guys cook?' and 'are you sure you don't want Max to cook?'

At first he'd thought it was some sort of elaborate joke, but to his dismay found that they were deadly serious.

And then Nudge and Fang had started whispering and giggling, and Max had thrown a temper tantrum 'cause she got a bit of dirt on her nail.

After Nudge and Fang giggled their way into the trees Iggy went over to the others.

"Hey Ig" Angel said coming up to him. "Is it true you can explode stuff?"

"Em… well what do you think? You've known me your whole life, haven't you?"

Even though he was messing, he was still really worried about the answer to that question.

What if she said no? He didn't know what he'd do.

Suddenly he heard lots of barking coming from the trees that Nudge and Fang had gone into. He turned in the general direction of Max.

"Are Total and Akila here?" She paused for a moment, probably looking around to check.

"Yeah" She said eventually.

"Well, we'd better go see if Fang and Nudge are ok then." He said, seeing as Max obviously wasn't going to.

He couldn't help but wonder if maybe Max was jealous, and that was why she was acting so odd. He brushed off the thought as ridiculous though, and looked at her expectantly.

"Why?" She asked. "They can both fight, they'll be fine."

Iggy rolled his sightless eyes at her and turned towards the trees.

"I'm gonna find out what's going on."

"Are you mad?" Max asked incredulously. "You're _blind_ Iggy!"

"Really? Well, I never would have guessed." He said sarcastically.

He hurried into the trees before anyone could stop him. Just because he was blind, it didn't mean he was incapable. He had thought that the flock knew that by now.

He pushed his way through the undergrowth and eventually stumbled upon a clearing. He stopped to listen and try and get his bearings.

After a minute or two he heard what sounded like some sort of fight. The dog started barking again, and it was easy to follow the sounds.

When he got closer he listened intently.

The bark sounded exactly like Akila, and the fighting… seemed to have stopped. Weird.

He sensed someone in the clearing; he moved closer tentatively and rested a hand on their shoulder.

Max. It was definitely Max.

But wasn't Max back with the others where he had left them?

* * *

Yeah, that was kinda short wasn't it? Ah, well you'll manage. Chapter 7 should be a bit longer!

... Now to go burn that raincoat...

A.J.


	7. Chapter 7

Hehe, I know what happens next! And I know what happens after that… and that!

Don't worry, this chapter explains a bit… but, sadly, not a _lot_. Mwhahahaha!!

_Seriously_ though, isn't it perfectly _obvious_ what happens next? Fang and Nudge wake up, kill everyone and live happily ever after. Simple! **(jk!!)**

* * *

So, I'll reply to your lovely, nice, friendly, jollyficating (my word) reviews!

**Capt****ain Boe- at your service**: I hope I updated fast enough for you!!

**sunshinerosesandDEATH**: Don't worry, there is a logical explanation for everything… except for this story.

**The Flock's Bud**: I've written more, don't worry!

**BlackWingsRainbowTips**: Oh, thanks. Actually it's not raining today… yet…

**FreeFaller0426**: But that'd be no fun!

**santaclausrules18**: I've updated don't worry!!

**Give up your Prejudices**: Awh, but you were so good at guessing!

**Vokdoctor**: Thanks!!

Wow, I've never had to write that many replys before! It's great though!! I _really_ like reviews!!

* * *

**Max's POV**

I looked up when I felt a hand on my shoulder. It was Iggy.

"Iggy." I said barley even surprised at this stage. "What're you doing here?"

"Looking for Fang and Nudge actually. Don't suppose you've seen them?"

I felt a blush heat my cheeks as I remembered what I'd done to them.

"They're over there."

"Ok." Iggy said slowly, sounding ever so slightly confused.

I watched as Iggy began to stumble valiantly in the wrong direction.

"Here Ig!" I said, remembering that 'over there' could mean just about anywhere to him. "This way!" I took his hand and led him gently over to where Nudge and Fang were lying in a crumpled heap.

He leaned over to them, taking in their injured frames. He lifted his head in my direction.

"You're a clone, aren't you?"

"No!" I said infuriated. "I just left a bunch of clones behind, and I came to look for the real flock and then I stopped here and saw Nudge and Fang making out."

"And you attacked them." It wasn't really a question, more of a statement, but I nodded anyway. Then I remembered that Iggy couldn't see, so I said

"Yeah... I didn't really mean to… it just sort of happened."

Iggy frowned disbelievingly at me.

"Prove it."

"What? Prove what?"

"Prove that you're the real Maximum Ride."

I stared at him in unfaltering disbelief.

"How?"

Iggy gave me a scathing look. It was obvious that he still thought I was a clone or something.

"Ok!" I said defensively… "Your real name is possibly James Griffiths, you are an amazing cook, em…-"

"That's all about _me_" he said, sounding irritated "It doesn't prove you're Max."

I was getting frustrated at how stubborn Iggy was being.

"Fine!" I shouted. "What do you _want_ me to tell you?"

He paused for a moment and then spoke.

"The cave-the other night. Why was it that you didn't want us to stay there?"

"You can't ask that!" I exclaimed indignantly. "It won't prove anything, 'cause you don't know the answer!"

"Correct!" Iggy said grinning. "You could tell me anyway though…"

I felt myself blushing as I remembered that night in the cave with Fang.

"Not a chance."

I looked down at the ground, and saw Fang and Nudge still lying there. I felt my stomach lurching. I had temporarily forgotten them.

"I don't suppose they're clones, are they?" I asked sadly.

"Well… they could be. They definitely could be. It would make a lot of sense."

I felt myself smiling, despite the grim situation.

"Ok, so we agree that the Max, Fang and Nudge in your flock are all clones. What about the others?"

Iggy paused for a moment, thinking.

"Angel is definitely a clone. Gazzy has all the potential to be a clone, Total could possibly be a clone, and it's hard to tell with Akila. Your Akila's bark sounds more like the real thing though."

"Ok." I said, thinking fast. "Have you got anything important that you need to take with you when we go?"

Iggy paused trying to decide if there was anything that he'd need to go back for.

"Well, it would be great to have my rucksack."

I nodded, and then remembered that Iggy couldn't see me.

"Ok… how about this… you run off to your _'flock'_ and tell them you found Fang and Nudge all unconscious and… stuff…"

I trailed off for a moment, as I thought up the rest of the plan.

"And then they come looking for the two of them and I meet you about ten feet from here, ten o 'clock. And then we get away from here."

Iggy nodded

"Ok, well, we'd best start now then."

With that he strode away into the trees, and I was left there, hoping the plan would work.

As I was trying to work out which direction ten o' clock was from where Iggy had been a moment ago I heard a soft groaning.

I looked over. 'Nudge' was beginning to regain her consciousness.

I knew that I needed to keep the pair of them unconscious if the plan was to succeed, but a rather large part still felt guilty about hurting any of these clones, much the same as if they were my real flock.

I know that now you're probably thinking 'if she feels so bad about attacking the clones, then why the heck did she just nearly kill them?'

My answer is this: it was an unthought-out reckless action, (in other words classic Max-move) that, in hindsight, was incredibly stupid.

I closed my eyes, so that I didn't have to see what I was about to do (and yes, I fully realise how stupid that sounds) and stomped on 'Nudge's' face. Hard.

Just then I heard panicked voices coming through the trees towards me.

I remembered with a jolt that I was supposed to be meeting Iggy in some direction that I hadn't worked out yet.

I did a split second calculation and dashed into the trees. Moments later I met up with Iggy.

I stifled a yawn (well I hadn't slept in ages) and glanced around once more.

"You ready?" I asked Iggy, whilst shifting the weight of my rucksack.

He didn't answer, just jumped up into the sky.

"Well, I guess that means yes then." I said to myself, grinning as I leapt into the sky after him.

* * *

I know what happens ne-ext! I know what happens ne-ext!

So here's the deal- You review and I _won't _kill Max and Iggy in the next chapter! Mwhahahahahaha!!

-gives evil grin-

A.J.

P.S. Thanks again to everyone who reviewed the last chapter!!


	8. Chapter 8

Ok, here's the next chappie! I don't think it's as long as the last one, but it's not _too_ short... I think...

Anyway, I'll reply to reviews first!

**Captain Boe- at your service**: Good luck with your test!! BTW you might want to think of _un_naming me lightingfastupdater. (see A/N at end of chapter)

**FreeFaller0426**: Your guess is closer than one of 'Give up your Prejudices' guesses, and equally close to the other one, presuming that by 'flock' you mean 'flock'. And if you understand that sentence, you're great.

**sunshinerosesandDEATH**: You're about to regret saying that I'm a good updater I afraid... And the whole Miggy thng would be with clones, but I may decide not to do it!

**Give up your Prejudices**: I know, sorry about that. It _would_ make the story more interesting though... But I won't kill them, I promise!

**The Flock's bud**: I'm mentioning you again!!

**Vokdoctor**:Yeah, I hope this chapter is a bit less predictable!!

* * *

**3****rd**** Person Fang POV**

Fang was beginning to get really stressed.

He didn't have a clue how many clones of him there were, he didn't know how many other clones there were, he didn't know where the real flock was.

He didn't know where Max was.

He didn't have any form of plan, and the icing on the cake, he hadn't had anything decent to eat in days.

The clones just couldn't meet Iggy's standard of cooking.

Just when he was beginning to get used to his frustration 'Max' came over to him.

"Fang, we need to talk."

"Why?" He really needed to think of a plan, not talk to a clone.

"Cause I said so, now c'mon!" Well, what a classic Max line. Pity she still looked like she was about to burst into tears. It kinda ruined the effect.

"Fine." He said trying to sound indifferent.

He stood up, and followed her away from the rest of the flock.

"Fang," she said turning around. "I can't go on like this. We can't go on like this. It's not right."

"What?" He said, phrasing a thousand questions in one word.

"I love you Fang." She said putting her arms around him

"Err… That's great…" He said trying, and failing miserably to push the clone away.

Before he could work out a good escape route _'Max' _leaned in and started _kissing_ him.

He felt her tears, hot on both their faces, reminding him that she wasn't the girl he loved, she was a clone. And not a very good one either at that.

Did they not send clones to some sort of clone school, were they could learn about the person that they were impersonating?

Evidently not, it would seem.

He managed to push the stupid clone away from, and doing a typical Max-move turned and dashed away from her.

'_Gods,'_ he thought with a jolt, _'I'm acting more like Max than the clone is.'_

Once he got back to the 'flock' he grabbed his stuff and took off into the sky.

He still didn't know where the real flock was. He felt all his frustration, which had gone temporarily, coming back to him with a crash. A metaphorical crash that is, not a real one.

He flew for an hour or so, not going anywhere in particular. Eventually he stopped in a cave to try and work out what to do.

After a while, he looked at his blog for the millionth time that day. He didn't really know what he should be looking for. A clue, some sort of clue. Something that would lead him back to the others.

He skimmed through the posts made by who knew how many clones, looking for one that was helpful. To his surprise though, he did actually find something.

Yo,

So right now I feel like a dead dead-thing. Yesterday, we spent most of the day in these trees. It was a pretty good day, we escaped from the school, found out Iggy could cook and I got together with Nudge. All in all, a day to look back on with a smile. But then, everything turned for the very definite worse. Nudge and I had wandered off into the trees and were having a pretty good time. But then some sort of freaky Max clone came down and nearly killed the pair of us. While we were still unconscious she kidnapped Iggy. I have to go now. I think I'm gonna get sick.

Fly on,

Fang

Fang gave a wry smile.

He was guessing that the 'freaky Max clone' was actually the real Max. It all fitted in perfectly.

Thinking things through carefully, he decided that they mustn't be too far from the School. Well, he wasn't all that far from the school himself.

Without pausing to think, he powered down the laptop and checked that his rucksack was ready.

And then, barely a moment later he took a running start off into the sky.

He was going to find the real flock and nothing or no-one was going to stop him.

* * *

Ok, so I have good news and bad news.

The good news- I'm going to the Gaeltacht tomorrow!!

The bad news- I'm going to the Gaeltacht tomorrow, for three weeks. That means:

1. No updates for 3 weeks.

2. I have to speak Irish for 3 weeks.

3. My idiotic friends chose a Gaeltacht in Donegal to go to, and none of us can speak (or even understand) Donegal Irish.

4. No parents for 3 weeks! (That shouldn't really be on a list of bad things though…)

5. I may be forced to go surfing (and seeing as I can't swim, that is a very definite bad point).

Slan libh agus tá suil agam go bhfuil samhradh maith agaibh. Agus, ná bigí burtha, beidh mé ar ais go luath!

After all, I may as well get in practice.

BTW that's no excuse not to review!!

I'll see ya soon (well, no I won't actually, but I _will_ update ASAP! ... after 3 weeks...)

A.J.

Gaeltacht-Gaeltacht-Gaeltacht-Gaeltacht-Gaeltacht-Gaeltacht-Gaeltacht-Gaeltacht-Gaeltacht-Gaeltacht-Gaeltacht-Gaeltacht-Gaeltacht-Gaeltacht-Gaeltacht-Gaeltacht-Gaeltacht-Gaeltacht-Gaeltacht-Gaeltacht-Gaeltacht-Gaeltacht-Gaeltacht-Gaeltacht!!


	9. Chapter 9

Dia daoibh!! Táim ar ais arís!! Bhí an Gaeltacht an-mhaith, ach bhí an aimsire go huafasach. Bedir go scríobhfaidh mé an caibidil seo os Gaeilge… ná bígí buartha, tá sé os Bearla!! Seo é…

Ok, so I'm back from the Gaeltacht. But I'm very disappointed in (most of) you. I left that last chapter up for over 3 weeks and guess how many reviews I got?? 5!! I don't expect long complicated reviews. I don't care if your review says nothing more than "Hi I read your chapter" (though I'd prefer if they did). I spend so much time writing this story, and then **5** out of **70** of you review. That's only 7 percent. Which is a tiny percentage. But to the five of you who bothered, thank you, I really appreciate it.

On a completely different note though…

The Gaeltacht. I'm guessing none of you have ever heard of it (correct me if I'm wrong), so I'm going to try and explain it as quickly as I can. Basically, if you live in Ireland, the chances are that you can barely string two sentences together in Irish. Irish is a mandatory subject to all students in school (unless they have an exemption) but like most difficult subjects, it is hated by the majority. However, there are several tiny under-populated areas of the country called Gaeltachts. In these areas Irish is the primary language used. In an effort to try and teach teens Irish 2 or 3 week courses are offered in these Gaeltachts. In reality though most people go for the sports, to get away from parents, 'cause their friends are going, for the other boys/girls, to make new friends, etc. In the place I went to, they barley made us speak Irish at all. It was fun though… If you don't mind constant wind and rain… and the fact that there was 133 girls and only 37 guys… and 3 weeks of living on hardly any sleep (we were supposed to be in bed by 11 but were usually only there by 1 or 2 and then we had to be up by half 8 the next morning) and 3 hours of classes, 6 days a week, during your holidays... It actually was really fun though. And the cross-dress céili was hilarious (not so much the girls dressing like guys as the guys dressing as girls). This is a bit long for a quick explanation, isn't it? I'll shut-up now.

I'll just reply to my reviews now…

**Give up your Prejudices**: Thanks but… I _live_ in Ireland.

**The Flock's Bud**: Why do you want to know how old I am? I'll narrow it down. People generally go to the Gaeltacht between the ages of 13 and 17 inclusive.

**FreeFaller0426**: The Gaeltacht isn't supposed to sound bad. It's supposed to be fun. Actually, I think I forgot to mention- the weather was so bad we barley went to the beach at all, and therefore, I wasn't forced to go surfing!! Ok, sorry I'll shut up on my random side notes now.

**Captain Boe- at your service**: Glad you're happy!!

**sunshinerosesandDEATH**: I'm not explaining Gaeltacht again!! See above.

Ok so here's the chapter…

* * *

**3****rd**** Person Angel POV**

It had taken Angel approximately five seconds to discover that there were clones afoot.

It had taken her less than a minute to find out that there was no real flock, just clones.

They were all trying so hard to be 'the real thing' that it almost made her feel sorry for them. Almost.

She knew that sooner or later Max would come looking for her, but until then she was going to try and find some of the others. She couldn't just sit waiting for help forever could she? And while she was at it, she was going to have some fun, doing all the things that she'd always wanted to do but never been allowed to. Max would probably kill her if she ever if she found out. But Max didn't have to know did she?

Angel went over to where the clones were sitting around the fire.

She had noticed that the clone-Fang was posting on the real Fang's blog, so she made him post this:

Hey,

I'm gonna give up pretending now. I am a clone. (The real) Angel wants me to say that she wants her flock back. We are currently staying within 50 miles of the school, but I can't tell you exactly where in case you attack us. If anyone knows anything about where the real flock is please tell us in your comment. It is very important.

I love you all,

Fang

She smiled at the entry after it had been posted.

She was _too_ good.

All she had to do now was sit, wait for comments and watch the 'flock' doing a million things they would never do. I mean, who ever said that waiting for something exceptionally important had to be dull, tedious and boring?

* * *

Opps. I think my AN is longer than the chapter… sorry!! Longer chapter (or shorter AN) next time!!

And one other thing...

Even though I'm back now, I'm never going to post a new chapter until I have at least 5 reviews for the chapter before it.

So PLEASE review!!

Slán go foill,

A.J.


	10. Chapter 10

Hi! Sorry for the delay, I decided to read Twilight and got temporarily distracted. At last, I can finally understand why you all keep going on about it so much. But anyway, once I finished it I got back to my story, asap. And if it's another couple of days before the next chapter, it'll be because of New Moon. So sorry about that. But I've a question. Why does it say on the back cover of Twilight that Edward's a vampire, and then have almost half the suspense of the book ruined while Bella tries to work out what Edward is when we already know the answer? I mean, on the summary of this story I could have said something like:

When Max and her flock are separated, and surrounded by clones, Max finds it difficult. Will she ever find the real ones again? And what about the clones? What will happen to them?

Ok, I admit that was probably the worst wording of the century. But at the same time as possibly sounding more interesting, it ruins the first few chapters completely. Or is it just me who thinks that?

Anyway, this chapter is way longer than the last one, so hopefully you'll like it. And thanks for all the reviews, btw. Now to reply to them…

**santaclausrules18**: It's ok! Glad you reviewed this one. Glad you liked it!

**BlackWingsRainbowTips**: Yup! And I'm going to hold the next chapter hostage too!

**FaeryQueenArupa**: Ó. Mo. Dhia. Is féidir leat caint os Gaeilge! Tá athas an domhan orm. Nílim i mo aonar!! Tá sé go hiontach!! Tá tú i do chonaí i gCorcaigh? Is aoibhean liom Corcaigh, ach ní raibh a fhois agam go bhfuil Gaeltacht ann! Bhí mise i Gaeltacht i nDún na nGall agus bhí an Gaelige ansin an deacair (nuair a bhí na daoine ag usaid í…). Go raibh mhaith agat don do review! ok I know that that was exceptionally random. But I can't say very much in Irish, so after a sentence or two that's what always seems to happen to me! Sorry!!

**Give up your Predjudices**: I think this chapter kinda helps to get the story moving as well… and don't worry, it's way longer!

**Captain Boe- at your service**: Well the grass is green. And Donegal is. And just about the entire countryside, I guess. I live in the city though (and it is NOT the only city in the country, I hasten to add) and the city isn't very green. Well except for the parks and stuff. In relation to CO2 emissions and stuff though… well lets just say that in that respect… Irelands about as un-green as you can get… So it really depends on the type of green you want I suppose. And I love your tip about the age thing! Thanks!!

**Fang eye witness**: Don't worry- this one's longer!

And I think I forgot about this in the last chapter…

**Disclaimer**: I'm neither middle-aged, American, nor a man. Therefore I cannot possibly be James Patterson, and therefore I (sadly) don't own Maximum Ride.

* * *

**Max POV**

Iggy and I had finally decided to stop for the night. We were in a small cave in more or less the middle of nowhere.

We tucked into our late supper of roasted rabbit. Better than desert rat anyway.

"Do you have any idea where any of the others are?" Iggy asked me.

"No… I was thinking of asking you that actually… What actually happened to you?"

"Well, we were attacked by some sort of the latest generation of robots form Itex. They came up on us when we were asleep and sort of woke us up and then put us unconscious immediately. When I woke up we were in the School. Escaping was very easy, we were in a room with a big window all we had to do was smash it and jump out. I should have guessed it was so easy for a reason."

"Yeah, guess so." I said letting my voice trail off.

Not for the first time, I was really missing the rest of my flock. I felt like I had let them down by letting this happen. And what was the School trying to do? They had gone straight from trying to kill us to trying to annoy us, it seemed. Which was really weird.

I looked at Akila, happily munching away on her rabbit leg. She was blissfully unaware of the fact that she may never see the others again, or so it seemed to me anyway. And I couldn't help wondering- even if she did know, would she care? She was a dog after all... all she had to worry about was her next meal.

"You ok Max?" Iggy asked, obviously concerned about my long silence.

"Yeah… I just miss the others. I wish I knew where they were… I wish I was able to go and help them."

"Don't worry, we'll find them. You found me didn't you? And you didn't have a clue where I was!"

I nodded dejectedly but still missed my flock more than I could comprehend.

"We'll find them." Iggy said again, with determination in his voice.

I hated this feeling of weakness that came with the loss of my flock. Slowly I got to my feet and threw a few chewed rabbit bones on the fire.

"I'll take first watch." I said, trying to put an air of authority in my voice.

"You sure?" Iggy asked.

"Yeah. C'mon, you'd better get some sleep." He nodded, and though he evidently didn't want to, he curled up on the ground near the fire.

It didn't take long for Iggy to fall asleep, and soon Akila was unconscious as well.

I was sitting alone at the entrance of the cave, watching out for who knew what. And that was when I saw it.

A shadow, blocking out the moonlight. It was too big to be a bird, too agile to be a robot.

I stood up, shading my eyes so that I could see better. Which was a bit stupid, seeing as there was no sunlight to shade my eyes from.

As the shadow got closer, I began to make out a bit of detail.

Despite myself, I felt an enormous bubble of hope swelling in my chest. I ran back to the fire and did my best to make it a bit bigger, and then started waving my hands over my head, trying to get his attention.

As he got nearer, I realised with a happy jolt that it was definitely him. He gave a wave of recognition, and I felt happier than I had in ages.

Maybe Iggy was right. Maybe finding my flock wasn't going to be impossible after all.

* * *

So…

(Virtual) Cookies to anyone who can guess who he is.

And to anyone who can't- have you been paying _any _attention to this story?

Beidh mé ar ais arís go luath!

A.J.

P.S. Please remember- 5 reviews or no chapter 11!


	11. Chapter 11

Hi! I'm back, with another chapter! So I finished reading New Moon, and Eclipse yesterday, and they were really good. But get this- the last time I read a really good series of books it was Maximum Ride, last February. After reading the third book, I had suspicions that there might be a fourth so I looked it up on the internet. Sure enough, Final Warning was coming out next March 18th. I checked again and realised that the book wouldn't reach Ireland (well, Britain) until the 10th April. Which was annoying to say the least. Anyway, now I read Twilight and again, figured that there were too many unanswered questions for that to be the end. So I checked the ever-trustworthy internet. And sure enough, there will be a fourth book. In August. The bright side? The book will arrive on my side of the Atlantic only two days after it is released in America. But really, for that to happen twice is just…weird. So from now on, I have 3 options before I read a series of books:

A)Check when the sequel is out and if it's only a month or two wait till then to read the series.

B)Make sure the author is dead before I read the series.

C)(My least favourite) if there _is_ a sequel coming out, try read the existing books in the series _really_ slowly.

Don't worry, I'm finished my little rant now!

So in the last chapter I asked who you think this mysterious newcomer is. All 5 of you said Fang. And no, I'm not going to tell you if you were right or not. Read the chapter and find out.

But first…

**FaeryQueenArupa**: The Gaeltacht I went to was, like, right beside Gweedore! But way smaller. It's called Anagry, or Anagaire os Gaeilge. Guess there were more Gaeltachts than I always thought… I knew there was one in Meath, Mayo, Connemara (is that in Galway) and at least 2 or 3 in Donegal. By the sounds of things, I was very far out. Ah well. Tá suil agam gur bainfidh tú sult as an caibidil!

**Give up your Prejudices**: You seem very sure of yourself… That doesn't necessarily mean you're wrong though, of course… Glad you like the story!

**Fang Eye Witness**: Again, you're very sure of yourself! But then you've a right to be. Harder question next time!!

**Captain Boe- at your service**: What's with the gibberish at the end? I'm curious.

**THE silVeR m0.onLiGhTSHAdow**: You're name is really hard!! Hope I got it right!! I updated as soon as I could! So I hope you like it!!

**Disclaimer: **See last chapter. I couldn't be bothered writing a new one.

* * *

**Max POV**

He landed a few feet away from me, at the entrance to the cave.

"FANG!" I screamed, running up to him.

I threw my arms around him, so happy to see him again that I temporarily forgot the possibility that he could be a clone. And much though I hated that possibility, as soon as the idea came to me I couldn't shake it off.

Carefully I pulled myself out of his warm embrace. As I did so, I happened to glance out to the sky for a moment. And what I saw nearly made me faint.

Flying towards our little cave now were another two Fangs, each blissfully unaware of the other, but totally focused on the one standing here beside me.

I turned to the first Fang.

"Who are you?" I asked as calmly as I could, given the circumstances.

"Who do you think I am, silly?" He replied putting his arms back around me.

I'd known Fang for as long as I could remember. And this certainly wasn't him. I still hated attacking anyone who looked even slightly like Fang, or anyone else in my flock for that matter. But I couldn't see that I had a choice.

Gritting my teeth, I clapped my hands over his eardrums. He reacted quicker than he should have been able to, grabbing my wrists the second after I had hit him.

"It would make your life very much easier" He hissed in a low threatening voice, whilst twisting both my arms until it felt like they were about to break "if you would just believe me."

I screamed out in pain, trying to remember how to use my legs and kick him. Failing this I changed tactic.

"LET ME GO!!" Obviously, I didn't expect my words to have any effect on him. I was just trying to wake up Iggy.

"Max! What's wrong?" Iggy said, panicked.

"Fang's clone is trying t-"

And then several things happened at once.

The Fang clone released one of my wrists so he could cover my mouth instead, Iggy jumped up and ran towards us, Akila started barking and another Fang landed at the edge of the cave.

Taking my chance I gave him the best punch I could manage (which, given the circumstances, wasn't exactly stupendous).

The Fang clone barely seemed to notice my punch at all, which annoyed me. However Iggy heard me and knew, without the need to ask what was going on, that I needed a bit of help. Instantly he was on the other side of the clone punching and kicking him with all his strength.

And the clone stood there, chuckling absently seemingly unaware that he was under attack.

Angrily, I began punching harder but I still had no affect whatsoever on him. Neither did Iggy.

The other Fang, the newest arrival in our cave, hurried over. He gently pushed Iggy to one side tracing a symbol on the back of his hand, roughly meaning 'Don't worry; I've got it under control'.

Then he stood silently behind his chuckling counterpart and without hesitating for more than a second, lifted up his hands and shoved his fingers in the clone's eyes.

The clone let out a wretched scream of pain, and I saw the more recent arrival pull his fingers out of the clone's eyes with a disgusted look on his face.

I suddenly realised why. At Fang's touch, the clone's eyes had turned into pulpy goo, which was now running down his face.

Trying to stop myself from vomiting I turned my attention to the Fang who had helped us. There was something about him… and I had no idea what… but I knew without having to ask that this was my Fang, the real Fang.

"Thank God you're ok!" I cried happily as I put my arms around him.

Though I'd never really expected him to hug me back, I was still slightly surprised when he pulled me off him and held me at arm's length.

"What's the password for the Maximum Ride credit card?" He asked.

I was surprised at the abruptness of his question, but understood perfectly why he was asking it.

"Mother. The first time I was replaced by a clone, how did you know it wasn't me?"

"You offered to cook breakfast, and comb Nudges hair." I grinned, now 100 percent sure that he was the real Fang.

As he turned to check Iggy I stopped him gently.

"There's no need to check him, I already did."

Fang raised his eyebrows slightly, as though he very much doubted this, but did not pursue the subject.

Just then, the other Fang, the one I had seen up in the sky, just after the first one had landed, entered our cave.

This time, we didn't stop to ask questions. We just acted.

Within minutes, he was on the ground unconscious.

"Well done." An icy voice said behind us. "You have already done some of my work for me." I slowly turned around, to see the indestructible clone standing there, both eyes in perfect condition.

And despite the fact that Fang, the real one that is, was standing beside me, marking the fact that I was one step nearer to finding my flock, I knew with an unshatterable certainty that we were a million times worse off than we had been before.

* * *

Ok, so that's the chapter. It's the longest one that there's been in a while, so please don't kill me for it.

I would also like to point out that you all got the question in the last chapter wrong. (sorry!) And I promised a harder question at the end of this chapter, so:

In this entire story, how many Fangs (including all clones and the real one) are there?

And an even harder one, that has absolutely nothing to do with this story:

In the Twilight series, my surname is mentioned in both New Moon and Eclipse, though it is not given to any specific character. If you go on to Stephanie Meyer's website and read the first chapter of Midnight Sun, it is also mentioned there, though for the first time it is given to a character. What is my surname?

If anyone can answer either of my questions correctly, I will be amazed.

Good Luck!

(and even if you don't want to attempt the questions please still review!)

Slán go foill,

A.J.


	12. Chapter 12

Hi! Sorry for not updating for ages. I was out enjoying the… rain. Over here we're having one of the 5 wettest summers in the past hundred years, actually. Anyway… moving on.

I had mega writers block when I was trying to write this chapter, so I ended up copying an idea from a book called GIRL, MISSING. Obviously, I changed it almost completely to fit in with the story, but 1 or 2 lines (and that's all, I promise!) were taken directly from the book. So, sorry about that.

And** none **of you got **either** of my questions right. Tsk tsk.

And about getting questions wrong- you all got the last one wrong because you all said Fang. But the clone of a person is not the person that the clones were cloned from. So a clone of Fang isn't Fang because Fang is Fang so a clone of Fang can't be Fang cause they're clones of him, not him. Ok?

I'll reply to your reviews first, anyway.

**Fang eye witness**: Wrong. Glad you liked the chapter though.

**bluehyperpixie**: Oh poor you! I'd really hate that!!

**FaeryQueenArupa**: no and no. I'll give you a hint to the surname question (no one else would get it) there's a reporter (I think) for RTÉ called Richard . He has my surname too. And an author, I think but I've never read anything she wrote (Clare ). And I think we're heading for a list of all the Gaeltachts in the country at the moment!

**Captain Boe-at your service**: Wow your review was long- not that I'm complaining though! See above for my Fang, not Fang clone rant. More than six Fangs in total (I may as well try and make it a bit easier!). My surname _is _on your list though! And sorry for making you obsessed again!

**Give up your Prejudices**: A surname is a second name, eg (in bold) James **Patterson**, Maximum **Ride**, Jeb **Batchelor **(I spelt that wrong, didn't I?). You did mention my surname on your list, though.

**THE silVeR m0.onLiGhTSHAdow**: Sorry I didn't update sooner! Glad you like the story though!

**Bahamallama ding-dongs rulz**: Nope! And I'm not even gonna ask how you got 3 Fangs! But thanks for reviewing anyway!

**Disclaimer**: I do not own either Maximum Ride or GIRL, MISSING. They are owned by James Patterson and Sophie McKenzie, respectively.

* * *

**Max POV**

On a scale of one to ten, today was definitely the worst day I'd had in a while.

I was down half my flock, and was slowly regaining consciousness in the back of some sort of fancy car. I was sitting by the window with Akila on my lap, and Fang on my right. Iggy was beside Fang.

The Fang-clone was driving, and we were all jammed in together on the not-so-huge back seat.

As I became more alert, I noticed two things- one that we weren't driving on the road, but along an old dirt track in a forest, and two that the sun was setting. Which meant that I'd been unconscious for the best part of 24 hours.

I groaned and looked over at Fang and Iggy. They were awake as well, and it looked as though Fang had been awake the longest. Akila was unconscious, and I had no way of knowing whether it was from drugs or tiredness.

Slowly, a plan began to form in my head. All I needed was a way to tell the other two.

After several moments thought I mooched slightly closer to Fang and leaned my head against his shoulder. I felt him stiffen. I tilted my head upwards slightly, towards his neck. He tried to pull away from me, and I couldn't help but notice the ironic backwardsness of it- him pulling away from me instead of me pulling away from him.

"What the…?" He said, trying hard to get away from me.

"Sssh." My lips found his ear. "I have a plan."

"Don't you always" He muttered dryly. "But I must say, I don't really like where this one's going"

I rolled my eyes, before I remembered that there was no way that he could see it.

"Listen," I whispered urgently, "it's really not that bad. You poke his eyes again. Working on the principle that that will work the same as last time, that should give us a minute or two. I'll smash the window, and Iggy can try and unlock the door on his side, just in case the glass is Max-proof. Once either side of the car is open we get out and fly due north for twenty minutes. Ok?"

"Why north?" He asked suspiciously.

"Cause I said so."

"Ok." He paused for a minute, probably thinking it through. "How am I supposed to tell Iggy?"

That threw me for a moment.

"I dunno, you'll think of something. Like this if you can't think of anything else."

Fang pulled away and looked at me incredulously.

"Think I'll pass on that, thanks."

He tapped Iggy on the hand, and began tracing different symbols.

They exchanged so few words, it was almost hard to believe that Fang was actually telling Iggy anything. But I knew them both well enough to be able to tell otherwise.

Once Iggy was fully informed of the plan Fang turned to me with a questioning look in his eyes. I could easily tell that he wanted to know when we were going to put the plan into action. I gave him an almost imperceptible nod, as though to say 'now'.

Quickly Fang leaned forward and poked his fingers in the clone's eyes, Iggy began frantically fiddling with the door and I slammed myself full force against the window.

Within a millisecond the clone began to howl in pain. Which was fine. What wasn't so fine was the fact that the car was now spinning around crashing into trees and skidding uncontrollably.

The car was obviously made to withstand some abuse; me slamming myself against it had had no effect whatsoever, but it really wasn't up to this. As it thundered against the trees it began to dent and I had a feeling that it might be gone slightly beyond repair.

Akila was wide awake now; evidently she had been tired not drugged. She began howling and scrabbling to get out, scared of the way the car was hurtling along the track- or were we even on the track anymore? It was hard to tell.

Suddenly though, we burst through the cover of the trees. I could feel the car slowing slightly as it met the friction of uneven rocks, but we continued moving.

And then I saw something out of the cracked and battered window that nearly made my heart stop.

A cliff.

And there was no way we could stop before we reached it.

I made a renewed effort to get out of the car. Fang, Iggy and I were all doing our best to get out. The clone was howling in pain, his foot still on the pedal, the wheel spinning out of control. Akila was howling in terror. I'd been in sticky situations before, but I could never remember feeling this helpless.

We spun nearer and nearer to the edge of the cliff and I wondered when I was going to see my life flashing before my eyes. It wasn't something I particularly wanted to see- especially the first ten years or so.

And then we reached the edge and spun right over.

It was like nothing I'd ever experienced. The terror was no longer consuming me, I felt oddly detached from it now. It was like going on some sort of crazy rollercoaster, plummeting downwards, faster than what should be possible, and yet seeing everything in sharper definition.

The resigned look on Iggy's face; Fang, still fighting although he surley must know that we'd already lost; the clone slowly beginning to realise what was going on; Akila howling louder than ever before.

The car was still spinning, and it wasn't going in slow motion like you see in the movies. I was utterly thankful for the fact that I didn't suffer from motion sickness- otherwise I'd be puking all over the place by now.

And then we hit the water. The front of the car hit it first with an almighty crash. The clone went flying through the front windscreen- through glass that I hadn't been able to break.

I clutched Akila to me, and did everything I could not to fall into the murky depths beneath me.

"We can get out of this." Fang said quietly beside me.

He let go of the seat he was holding onto and let himself fall to the front of the car. He went underwater for a moment before bobbing back up.

"We can go out here and then swim up to the surface." He said confidently.

Iggy went first and I followed quickly. I had a bit of trouble swimming with Akila though.

Well, a lot of trouble, actually.

It was only as I sunk down towards the bottom of the gorge, drowning us both, when I remembered that dogs could swim. And by then it was too late.

I kicked as hard as I could, holding Akila tight to me, hoping that she wouldn't breath in any more water than she already had. I was getting nowhere.

I would have drowned right there, right then, if it wasn't for the fact that Fang swam down to see what was going on.

As soon as he saw me there struggling with Akila he grabbed her away from me and swam up to the surface with her.

I followed as well as I could though I was too weak to do very well. After a few moments Fang came back down and helped me to the surface.

Once I had some oxygen back in me, I surveyed the scene.

The car, battered, with its tyres still spinning for some great unknown reason, the engine sizzling slightly and sending sparks of electricity into the water every few seconds.

Iggy and Fang soaked to the skin, and looking tireder than they did after fighting Erasers or Flyboys.

Myself and Akila, not only soaked and tired but half drowned as well.

And though I couldn't see him, the clone drowned at the bottom of the gorge.

Fang seemed to be following a similar train of thought.

"Great plan Max. Really well thought out."

I scowled at him.

"Well it was better than anything you came up with."

"Only because you didn't give me enough time to think one up!"

"Well it's not my fault if you're a slow thinker, now, is it?"

"How about you two fight later?" Iggy interrupted. "We're missing my favourite TV show."

* * *

Ok, so that's it. I hope you liked it!

For my question:

Same two as last time:

A)In this entire story, how many Fangs (including all clones and the real one) are there? **HINT**: It's higher than what any of you guessed.

B)In the Twilight series, my surname is mentioned in both New Moon and Eclipse, though it is not given to any specific character. If you go on to Stephanie Meyer's website and read the first chapter of Midnight Sun, it is also mentioned there, though for the first time it is given to a character. What is my surname? **HINT**: In your answers, some of you wrote lists. It's in all the lists.

AND

Ok, please don't think I'm a complete idiot for asking this, but What is a 'poptart'? They don't sell them over here, and I'm really curious about them. They sound horrible, but then again, I don't actually know what they are, so…

TTYL,

A.J.


	13. Chapter 13

Sorry! I'm beginning to get really bad at this, I know. But it was _sunny_ for the past couple of days, and seeing as it's been raining all last summer and most of this summer so it was a really nice change. On to more important issues though…

Poptarts. They sound fascinating… And ridiculously unhealthy. Someday when I go to America, I'll try them. But that mightn't be 'till October '09, so I'll have to go without until then.

As for my other two questions;

Yes my surname is Dowling, so cookies for everyone who guessed right!! And… wait for it… 1 person guessed the correct amount of clones. Well done!!

Now I'll reply to reviews:

**Give up your Prejudices**: Yeah, I think the reason that it was less confusing was something to do with the fact that it was one of the few chapters where I didn't introduce any new characters (i.e. clones). Maybe I should do that more often...

**Captain Boe- at your service****: **Yeah, the answer is Dowling. And I can honestly say that if they sold poptarts over here my mum would probably ban them too.

**Firewings45**: I'm from Dublin, Ireland. They don't sell poptarts over here. And I _did_ update as soon as I could, believe it or not.

**THE silVeR m0.onLiGhTSHAdow**: Thanks! It's good to know that there's _someone_ out there who doesn't think I'm an idiot! Lol!!

**FaeryQueenArupa**: Gaterade? I've never heard of it!! And by the sounds of things, whilst a Nutri-Grain bar and a poptart are probably similar, I'd say a Nutri-Grain bar is probably MUCH healthier!!

**bluehyperpixie**: Yes, they should be able to hold their breath for much longer, but that's not nearly as exciting is it? And also, I sort of forgot about that when I was writing it…

**the.ultimate.maximum: **Well, here's an update!! You're the first person who says that they don't like poptarts, you know! Ah well, to each their own! (I'll prob hate them as well, but don't tell anyone else I said that!!)

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Maximum Ride.

* * *

**3****rd**** Person Nudge POV**

Nudge was hungry.

Although this was not a very unusual thing to happen, it seemed more pressing than usual at the moment.

She looked around the tiny crevice that the entire flock, Total and Akila were squished into and mooched into a more comfortable position.

"It's not fair!" Fang whined, for the umpteenth time.

"Shut-up Fang." Max snapped. "If you keep this up, we're going to have to leave you behind."

Nudge's head snapped up at that. She'd begun to get used to Fang constantly moaning, but this was new.

"Mmmfph" She said incoherently. The strip of masking tape covering her mouth was really very irritating.

"NUDGE! How many times will I have to tell you to stop trying to speak?!" Angel snapped.

Nudge scowled at Angel. Maybe when Max kicked Fang out of the flock Nudge could stay with him. But then again, with the way he'd been acting lately that would hardly be much fun.

"You can't just kick me out!" Fang whined, stomping his foot. Because they were all so cramped though, he managed to kick most of the flock in the process.

"Yes I can." Max replied coolly

"And she will. She'd be totally justified, you know." Iggy said smugly. "You're useless."

At this Fang started… _crying_.

_Fang was crying. _Since when did Fang cry?

"There, there." Gazzy said softly, patting Fang on the back. "It's ok. You're not useless."

"Yes he is!" Iggy cut in angrily

"No he's not!" Gazzy replied.

"Is so!"

"Is not!"

"Is so!"

"Is not!"

"Is so!"

"Is not!"

"Is so!"

"Is not!"

"SHUT IT!" Angel screamed.

Nudge was really beginning to question the sanity levels of the flock.

"Mmfph mmmm fff mnmn phf!" She said, once again making a useless attempt at speech.

"Angel's right." Max said, more loudly than was really necessary. "You should all shut up, and I'll tell you what to do."

Nudge raised her eyebrows incredulously.

"I still think _I_ should be the leader." Fang said, sounding rather like a grumpy three-year-old.

"Well you're wrong. You would make an awful leader. I am the leader, the decision maker, the person who will always do it right, the only one here who will never need a shoulder to cry on. I do a job that you are totally incapable of and I do it better than any of you could ever realise unless, say, we were to have an idiot as our leader. You are an idiot, Fang. Therefore, you cannot be our leader."

"That's not fair! And if you're so great, then why haven't we eaten in so long?" Fang asked coldly.

Max evidently had no answer to that, and it was several moments before she answered.

"Well… we _would _have eaten by now if you didn't keep distracting me."

"But it's not fair!"

Nudge leaned her head back against the wall and closed her eyes. Was this ever going to end?

* * *

"Wake up! C'mon!" As Angel shook her awake, Nudge realised that she must have fallen asleep.

"Mmph!" She grunted through the tape that was stuck over mouth.

She looked up, only to see the rest of the flock eating to their hearts content. She didn't know what they were eating, but that didn't really come into it.

"Mmph! Mmm nnmn fff MMFPH!!"

They all looked at her as though she'd grown an extra head.

"If you think that your consistent grunting is going to make us let you eat," Max said coolly, "you can think again. You can grunt as much as you like, but the tape stays on."

Nudge glared at her.

"I still don't think it's fair." Fang moaned

"No-one really cares what you think." Max replied icily.

"Yeah, no-one cares what you think." Iggy sneered.

Just then Total started barking at something he saw flying across the clear, cloudless sky. After a moment Akila joined. This confused Nudge. Whatever about the rest of them being wierd, Total barking was the most nonsensical.

Suddenly something clicked.

Clones.

The school had used them before, so why not now?

Nudge stood up, elbowing several people in the process.

"Mmph." She informed them all, "Mm ph ff nn mmph mmm nnff mnmnmnmn mmnfph ."

Once she had finished her dramatic speech, she crossed to the entrance of the crevice in one step.

She leaped off the edge and in a dramatic movement ripped the tape off her mouth.

"OWWW!!" She screamed.

And then she flew away, in the hopes of finding the real flock, the flock that wouldn't tape her mouth shut.

* * *

Ok, I'm really sorry, but I probably won't be able to update for a while. My cousin's coming over for a while, and then what with Breaking Dawn coming out on the 2nd, and the new Artemis Fowl book on the 7th, when I'm not being forced to talk to my cousin, I'll be reading. And I'm going away on the ninth for two weeks (I think). So I'm really sorry about that.

TTYL

AJ


	14. Chapter 14

And I'm back!

I have chapter 14, but first there's going to be one of those long, and annoying ANs. Sorry.

First of all I would like to say HAHA I got Artemis Fowl a week before it was due out, and Breaking Dawn on the 2nd instead of the 4th!! HAHAHA!!

Sorry about that. It had to be said. Seriously though- I happened to be going to Belfast on the 30th of July, just for the day, and I happened to go into WHSmith's (a shop they don't have in ROI) and there was Artemis Fowl and the Time Paradox, sitting on the buy one get one half price shelf. Which makes no sense 'cause the writer (Eoin Colfer) is Irish. And then for some mad reason, Easons insisted that the British book-people had independently decided to release Breaking Dawn on the fourth, but they (Easons) had been told to release it on the second instead. Never mind the fact that (as far as I know) they were the only bookshop in the country to so. But you don't see me complaining.

Also, in reference to the cousin. You see, it's not that she is one of those cousins-from-hell or anything, just that every time I go on the computer she comes along and looks over my shoulder- VERY annoying. And I don't know about you, but I can't write with someone looking over my shoulder, especially if they are the sort of person who has probably never read an entire book in their life. So every time she came over I'd close whatever I was doing and look pointedly at her. But some people just can't take my oh so subtle hints.

Now – breaking news- they sell poptarts in Scotland (who would have known?) and I tried them. And I can honestly say- they are _so_ not worth the fuss everyone makes of them. They were sickening, slightly tasteless and full of nothing but sugar, salt and fat. Honestly, I could taste the salt as I was eating them. –shudders- NOT NICE!!

Ok to reply to all my lovely reviews - there were loads this time, so THANK YOU NICE REVIEWING PEOPLE!!

**BlackWingsRainbowTips**: Yeah, I love getting to write the flock totally OOC, knowing that nop-one can give out to me for it! It's great!!

**the.ultimate.maximum**: I would have sooner, but I had a cousin on my shoulder, and then I was in Britain for two weeks, and in those two weeks I was at a computer once, for less than 10 minutes. So, that made updating a bit hard didn't it? Until now, when I am typing during the ad breaks of The Rose of Tralee

**Eva NoName**: I share your exact sentiments exactly when it comes to poptarts. My mum still made me finish them all though. So after breakfast every morning for four days I felt sick. Not the best way to start you're day, really.

**Captain Boe- at your service**: Of course my name's A.J. Isn't that what I've signed as at the end of every chapter? It's short for Angel-Jade666, because I quite frankly couldn't be bothered to write my full name at the end of every chapter.

**THE silVeR m0.onLiGhTSHAdow**: Yeah she did didn't she? …

**liane.xd**: Here are the cookies –holds out big plate of them- … but I'll only give them to you after you review for this chapter! Mwhahahaha!!

**FaeryQueenRoo**: Did you change your name? I think you did.

**FangsKiss x**: Glad you like it!

**Give up your Prejudices**: I'm psoting ASAP! (whether you believe it or not!)

**Shazza-Girl**: Yeah, she kinda was wasn't she? … And it has to nbe said that waffles are WAY nicer than poptarts!

**Firewings45**: Yeah… my life outside writing stories is _reading_ stories… jk… I'm not really _that_ bad… kinda… but, yeah… I have to go back to school on Friday, so that will eirther make my updates more or less regular (when I started writing this story it was during the school year, & I updated almost every day…) But I'll prob have more homework this year, so don't get your hopes up…

**b****luehyperpixie**: Yeah, if all Nudges speeches were like that, life would be a lot… quieter… hmm… is that good or bad?

**Disclaimer:**If I owned Maximum Ride, would I be sitting here writing fanfiction? (hint: the answer is no)

Ok… My AN is almost 2 pages long and I _still_ don't know what this chapter is about…

Not Good.

…

…

Ok, here goes…

* * *

Nudge was lost. Well not _lost_ exactly… the surroundings were in the wrong, she was sure of it.

She did have her own internal compass, so she knew that she was travelling North. So why weren't there any polar bears? -Not that she wanted to see polar bears, she wanted to see the flock.

As the midday sun continued to beat down hard on her back, she decided that it was time to stop for a break.

She flew down to a cave, and nearly fainted when she saw herself there, standing there and looking at her.

No… not looking _at_ her… looking _past_ her.

"Iggy!" She called happily, "You're back!"

Nudge looked over her shoulder and saw Iggy and Angel flying towards the trees.

"See Iggy," Angel was saying smugly, "I _told_ you you could fly."

"Yeah. You were right. Thanks Ange."

Angel nodded in acknowledgement, but she didn't actually say anything. She looked sort of… bored. Like she was waiting for someone, or something like that.

"Iggy I missed you soooooooooo much!!" Nudge squealed happily, and flew over to him, as though she was unable to wait for him to land.

The real Nudge hid behind a rock. It wasn't a great hiding place, but it was the best she could find.

"Hey Nudge, where're Max and Fang?" Angel asked.

"They're inside, weaving some more clothes." Nudge said matter-of-factly.

'_Weaving some more clothes?_

_What the…__?'_

"Oh good." Angel said happily. "I do hope it's better than the last stuff they wove."

She rubbed her hands together, as though in anticipation.

As she flew nearer the cave, and, inadvertently, Nudge's rock she paused for a moment and looked around.

Nudge ducked further behind the rock, praying she wouldn't be seen, and the extra thoughts in the area would go unnoticed.

After several moments moments though, Angel continued on, into the cave.

"Ma-ax? Fa-ang?" She called "Lets see these clothes then!"

Just then Nudge (the real one that is) noticed something dive-bombing from the sky.

"FLAMINGOS ARE PINK! THE SKY IS BLUE! I HATE FLOWERS, AND I HOPE YOU DO TOO!!" It yelled. "BLOOD IS RED! ORANGES ARE ORANGE! I AIN'T BORED, SO I HOPE YOU AREN'T!!"

There was almost a tune to the screaming. As the figure came closer, Nudge realised that it was Gazzy. With a personality transplant.

"BUTTERCUPS ARE YELLOW! GRASS IS GREEN! UNLESS IT'S BROWN, WHICH MEANS IT'S DEAD!!"

'_That doesn't rhyme'_ Nudge couldn't help thinking.

"BUT THAT'S NOT GOOD! WHEN GRASS AIN'T GREEN LIKE IT SHOULD……"

He flew back up really high and then zoomed back down, building up the momentum for the final word of his _'song' _Nudge blocked her ears to try and keep out the deafening screech.

"BE!!"

He bowed elaborately, as though expecting an applause, which, surprisingly, he didn't get.

Nudge realised tat she had gotten so distracted by Gazzy that she hadn't noticed what any of the others had been doing. She glanced around furtively to see if she could find any of them.

"Hey Nudge."

Nudge almost jumped two feet in the air.

"Wha-" She half-stammered, half-yelled

"'Sme, Angel." Angel said sitting down beside her

"So- wait, shouldn't you be talking to the Nudge over _there_?" She said pointing to her clone.

"I think we've all established that she's a clone. And you're not. I _can_ read minds you know."

Nudge nodded, still in shock.

So I'm going to back to the cave and you can follow me. I want you to see what I've done with my clones." Angel got up and ran back into the cave.

Nudge couldn't help but be reminded forcefully of the time when Angel had tried to convince Max to make her leader. She shuddered slightly, but got up and followed Angel into the cave.

"Thou shalt explain thyself fiend!" Cried Fang jumping up the moment he saw her.

Nudge was temporarily stunned into silence, which let's face it, was quite a feat.

"Thou art trespassing upon our land!" He continued indignantly.

It wasn't only the way Fang was speaking that had Nudge stunned. He and Max were both wearing what looked like hand-woven clothes. And they weren't very well woven either.

"Why are you talking like someone from several hundred years ago, Fang?" Nudge asked, finding her voice again. "And what are you and Max wearing? You really need to go to weaving classes, or like, actually _buy _your clothes. And Gazzy, while I'm on the subject of weirdness, where did you come up with that song you were singing earlier? It was really _really_ bad, no offence or anything. Why did you want me to come here Angel? C'mon just grab your bag or whatever and lets get going, this Fang is totally creeping me out. Did you make him talk like that? 'Cause you really shouldn't have bothered you know. And _what_ is with the clothes? Why are they wearing them? And why is no-one else wearing them? C'mon Angel, you're like taking _forever_! And-"

"Quiet fiend!" Fang shouted over her.

"Shut up freak!" She responded, in an unusually short sentence for Nudge.

"Oi! The pair of you! Shut it!" Angel said, sounding more than a little irritated. "Yeah, you're right Nudge, we'd best be going." She hoisted up her rucksack and walked over to the only other non-clone in the room.

"Time to go." She said grinning.

"Wait O beautiful child! Thou shan't leave alone! My wife and I shall accompany thee, as shall the others in our small but valiant flock! Give us but a minute to prepare our few meagre possessions and we shall off." Fang looked imploringly at Angel, who rolled her eyes.

"Give it a rest." She said, and flew into the evening sunlight. Nudge followed quickly.

"Who's Fangs wife? Cause I'm pretty sure he said he had a wife." She asked, still confused by the short speech he had given.

Angel grinned.

"Max" she said. "I got them to marry in Vegas. That guy doing the wedding was pretty clued out. I barley had to mess with his mind at all."

"You went _all_ the way to Vegas to force two clones to marry?" Nudge asked incredulously.

"Well, I _convinced_ the clones that they weren't tired or hungry, etc. and made _them_ fly all the way to Vegas and carry me the whole way. And then I did the same coming back."

"Correct me if I'm getting this wrong, but are you telling me that you did _all_ that, just for the joy of being able to say that you made Max and Fang get married?"

"Pretty much, yeah." The six year old replied, smiling.

"I shake my head. I shake my head."

"Well, you gotta admit, it _was_ pretty clever."

"I'll take your word for it."

"Do."

* * *

Ok, so there it is! Hope y'all liked it! And sorry if my Shakspearean English wasn't very good. The way I see it though- since the flock only went to school once in their lives for only a few weeks, they wouldn't be so great at it either, even if it was the only way Angel was letting them speak. So... yeah... PLEASE REVIEW!!

TTYL,

A.J.

P.S. My school starts back this Friday, so if I don't update for ages, blame the teachers.


	15. Chapter 15

And I _have_ a chapter! Yay!

Just to let you know, from now onwards I'm gonna start replying to reviews with the little 'reply' button instead of at the start of each chapter.

And also- this chapter is probably the longest one I've ever written, as my way of saying sorry for the long wait! And you'll be seeing the return of a character from chapter two, who we all thought was very unimportant at the time (including me). And sorry for the angsty bits. They're there for a reason.

So without further ado-

**Disclaimer:**I don't own Maximum Ride. But I do own this odd and illogical plot, and Dr Basil Lenihan.

**- - - - -**

**Chapter 15**

**- - - - -**

This was the end for them. She had always known that Itex would retire her sooner or later, but deep down she'd been hoping they'd keep her. Clearly though, it had been a waste.

The Flyboys, now old models, led the last of the unwanted experiments into a small, drab courtyard. The perfect place for an execution. She looked at the people standing in a grim row beside her, experiments, just like her. Unwanted, just like her. Clones, just like her. But most of all- people, just like her. Why did Itex find the fact that they were real people so hard to grasp? It wasn't rocket science.

She looked along the row of her closest friends. The flock, version 2.0. Could clones go to heaven, she wondered idly.

Then she turned to face her death full on. The Flyboys raised their guns.

- - - - -

If you have ever happened to wonder why people bother building roads when, say, they could just walk through the rivers I'll tell you now- there's a reason for it.

After several minutes of slipping, sliding, falling and thanks be to God _not_ drowning, I was beginning to seriously hate rivers. Sadly though, our wings were still just that little bit too wet to fly, and the banks of the thankfully not-too-deep-at-this-part river were low (but too high to climb up) cliffs on one side, and very thick forest on the other side.

"Here's a thought" Iggy said after a while, "How're we gonna set up camp? Y'know… it's not like we can fly into the trees or anything…" I looked down; in the hopes Fang might answer that question. It was one I had been wondering about myself actually.

Several moments passed, and I realised that Fang was choosing to not be amazingly helpful.

"Umm...well...about that...see…the thing is..._crap_- U&A guys, U&A!"

"Max? Why the hell d'you think we're walking? _We can't fly right now!_" Oh yeah. About that. _Shit!_

"Well move faster! Try flying! Our wings must be _nearly_ dry by now! Fast!" I looked back again. Something was following us for sure. Frantically, I tried to take off, but my wings were refusing to co-operate.

_Voice? A little help here?_

Nothing. Nada. Zit.

I looked back at the approaching something. Whatever, or whoever it was, they were gaining on us fast. We may as well have been locked in an un-escape-from-able room for all the 'getting away' we were going to be able to do.

We were _so_ screwed.

- - - - -

There would be no shout of '_Ready. Aim. Fire._' She knew that. But it still came as a shock to see the Flyboys raise their guns in such perfect synchronisation, take aim in such perfect synchronisation. _Fire in such perfect synchronisation._

No. She wouldn't think about that. She couldn't.

- - - - -

Dr. Basil Lenihan looked up from the newspaper smiling. It was not only reassuring to know that his cousin was another failure, but also that that said cousin was getting much more attention focused on his failings. He took a sip of coffee and leaned back on his oh-so-comfy chair. Despite the complete disaster that was his most recent assignment, he still had his job, and would be getting another major assignment shortly.

Just then there was a sharp rap on the door. Basil looked up, surprised. He wasn't expecting visitors. Frantically, he shoved his newspaper into the plant on his desk, and poured what was left of his coffee into the wastepaper basket.

"C'min" He realised his mistake a moment too late, and was in the act of putting the newspaper he'd had delivered all the way from Ireland into the wastepaper basket as the Director walked through the door.

"May I ask what you'd be doing what that, Dr. Lenihan?"

"You most certainly may, Dr."

Now might be a good time to point out that, while the last time we met Dr. Lenihan he was a stumbling, fumbling idiot, he was now an arrogant, self-absorbed idiot. The difference was that he'd had no actual work to do in such a long while, that he'd forgotten what it felt like to be a disgrace on the brink of losing his job. Or maybe he just had split personalities. No-one was really sure.

The Director rolled her eyes at the incompetent scientist.

"I trust you know why I am here?" She said, walking towards Basil's desk.

"Nope. Haven't the foggiest." Now the Director was beginning to get frustrated. Was it actually possible for a scientist to be such an idiot? She blamed it on the Irish blood.

"Did read _any_ of the report I had sent to you?"

"Which report would that be again?" Basil began to rifle through the stacks of papers on his desk, looking for the report in question.

"The one about our latest experiment. Your most recent, and very possibly last assignment."

"Uhh. . ." The Director glared at Lenihan impatiently.

"It was delivered to you last Friday. Approximately seven-hundred pages in length."

"Oh, _that_ report. Yes I did actually receive it. I'm sure I left it here somewhere. . . . ." Basil started rifling through his drawers, seeing as the stacks of pages had failed to produce any seven-hundred page long report.

"I didn't ask if you received it." The Director snapped. "I _know_ you received it. I asked if you'd read it. Like you were supposed to."

"Read it? Oh yeah, that _is_ what you said. Oh look! Found it!"

"Dr. Basil Lenihan. Did you or did you not read the report?"

"I did read some of it. It's quite long though, and I hadn't quite finished it. I'll read it now though. No worries."

"How much of it have you read?" The Director sighed.

"Uh. . . The opening paragraph. . ."

"The opening paragraph is three lines long! What do you think I'm paying you to do?"

"I…uh…_sorry?_" The Director just about managed to not rip his head off. Barely. She stormed out of the incomptents office, pausing momentarily at the door to give him a warning.

"If that report isn't read by Monday, you will lose your job. Is that clear?" Basil nodded frantically, and picking up the report, he began to read.

Slowly.

- - - - -

She was still waiting for the bullets. She wondered if it would hurt much, or if she would die instantly.

She still wished Max had just killed her, at least there would be some dignity in that. At least she would have gone down fighting.

_Fight._

But it was too late. Far too late. The Flyboys secured their fingers on the triggers.

She didn't see her life flashing before her eyes. Perhaps because it was too short, too miserable. She just heard the banging, the bullets. She saw the people collapsing around her, the bullets flying past her, into them, into _her_. And that was the end. The end of the first clone, the last Max who knew where the real Max was.

- - - - -

Ok, that's it for now. I am quite literally having exams **right now**(mocks), so don't kill me if I don't update soon. Please.

And my question (which is actually **very** relevant):

Are Lidl(sp?) and Aldi in America?

TTYL,

A.J.

And remember- 6 reviews or no chapter! XD


	16. Chapter 16

**Ok, so this is like a continuation of chapter 15. I **_**had**_** considered putting in the names of POVs, to make it less confusing, but I decided against it.**

**And before you all kill me 'cause its so short- What do you freaking expect if you're not gonna bother reviewing?!?**

**Anyway, a mega-huge thanks to:**

**bluehyperpixie**

**Captain**** Boe- at your service**

**FaeryQueenRoo**

**Flower K. Owl **(100th review! Wow…)

**And to everyone else: WHY?**

**Anyway****, on with the story!!!**

**Disclaimer: If it makes sense, the odds are that it probably isn't mine.**

**- - - - -**

**Chapter 16**

They were close enough now for us to be able to make out two figures flying towards us. Getting closer and closer until we could make them out.

"Oh. My. God." I said under my breath.

"They could be clones." Fang reminded me. I nodded numbly. Either way, we stopped running. It wasn't like we could outrun them when we were waist deep in water anyway, even if they were enemies.

"But they mightn't be." I said, more optimistic than I'd normally be. "There is always that possibility that they're not clones."

- - - - -

Basil yawned tiredly. He'd been reading for what felt like forever, and he was still only on the fifth page.

Stupid science reports.

- - - - -

"You sure you know where you're going?" Nudge asked for what felt like the millionth time.

"Yeah. I told you I'm getting better at mind reading. I've been able to read their minds for the last, like, three hours."

"And you're sure you're sure those weird freaky clones of yours won't follow us? 'Cause that'd be really weird and… odd and they really freak me out. I mean why'd you get them to dress like that? And the way they talk? It's really weird."

"Yes Nudge. I'm sure."

- - - - -

The Flyboys moved forward robotically to gather up the bodies of the six mutant clones. They would be burned, just like every other failed experiment. No fancy funeral for them.

And although the Flyboys couldn't have known at the time, and didn't have the emotional capacity to care even if they had, they were next. Within twenty-four hours there would be no Flyboys left.

- - - - -

**Now for the bad news. **

**I'm almost finished chapter 17, its **_**really **_**long, and the odds are that after today I won't have an internet connection for… a few weeks? Months? Who knows? This is the problem with getting building work done peoples! Computer + dust = A very bad combination. Sorry. XD**

**TTYL,**

**A.J.**

**AND HAPPY SAINT PATRICK'S DAY IN ADVANCE!!**


	17. Chapter 17

Oh. My. God. You reviewing people are all absolutely **amazing**! !

A huge big thanks to:

**Eva NoName**

**KatieeitaK**

**randomperson**

**dogwithnonose**

**Kiara212**

**Captain Boe- at your service**

**Alyssa4music4life**

**bookworm**

**bluehyperpixie**

**Flower K. Owl**

**JamieLynn Black**

You are _all_ amazing. And as my way of saying thanks, this chapter is long. Very, very long. Here's to hoping you all like long chapters.

- - - - -

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Maximum Ride….but I do own this story, and all its weirdnesses…

- - - - -

**Chapter 17**

**Nudge/Angel 3****rd**** Person POV**

Nudge and Angel were getting closer and closer to Max, Fang and Iggy. It was only a small matter of time now until they reached them.

"Oh they can see us now!" Angel said happily. "But they don't know who we are. We're still too far away."

"Where are they? 'Cause, like, I can't see them. So they must still be really far away… Wait you said they could see us, right? So does that mean they're close? But I still can't see them though, so that makes no sense… Oh look ther they are! And they've got Akila! Total will be sooooo happy! Wait- where is Total? And Gazzy? Shouldn't they be here too? But they're not…. HI MAX!!! HI IG!!! HI FANG!!! AND AKILA!!! Oh God, it's so good to see them again isn't it Ange? But, like, why on earth are they standing in a river? Isn't that really cold and wet? I'd be really cold and wet if I was in a river! Ugh… I really don't like being cold. But I absolutely _loved_ Antarctica! It was just so amazingly awesome, don't you think? Angel? Ange?" Nudge finally noticed that Angel wasn't listening to her. Actually, Angel was having a conversation with Max, Fang and Iggy down below them.

"Ok…" She said after a few minutes, "that's all sorted."

"What's all sorted?" Nudge asked, in a shockingly short sentence.

"They thought we might've been clones. But I convinced them that we're not, don't worry!"

- - - - -

**Max POV**

"Exactly where are these people coming from?" Iggy asked.

"Six o'clock." I said. "They look exactly like Nudge and Angel, not that that means anything anymore though." Then I heard a voice in my mind- one I hadn't heard from in the longest time.

'_It is us Max.'_

_Oh yeah? _I thought back _Prove it._

'_Well, clearly I can read your mind. None of the clones could do that. If you listen really hard you'll probably be able to hear Nudge talking, and I'm pretty sure none of the clones can talk as much as Nudge. Also, remember the word we made up back in Germany that'd be our code word if one of us was ever replaced by clones? I know it.'_

She said the word, and then I had no choice but to believe her. I'd been very careful not to think it when I'd first seen them coming, just in case.

"They're not clones." I said happily. Fang looked at me, clearly thinking I'd gone mad or something.

"Max, just because we all _want_ them to be the real ones, that doesn't mean they are." I rolled my eyes at him.

"I just had a conversation with Angel. They're the real ones all right."

"This is just Nudge and Angel right? Iggy checked, "no signs of Gazzy?"

"No." I replied. "No signs of Total either." Despite the fact that I was still missing part of my flock, I was the happiest I'd been ages. Well, since Fang came back at any rate.

As the girls came closer, I ran over to where they were going to land. The problem being that rivers were not originally designed for running through.

"Agh!" I lost my footing (which is a ridiculously easy thing to do in a river) and fell, crashing into a tree on the riverbank. _Oww…_

Then everything went black, in a weird peaceful sort of way. Well, at least it _was_ peaceful until pictures started flashing in my mind, just like they used to back when I used to have those brain-attacks. Except this time I could understand them.

There were flashes of back when I was in the School, there was a silent clip of two Whitecoats that I didn't recognise talking, there was a picture of Gazzy surrounded by clones in a public library (and I had no clue how I knew they were clones, I just did), there were pictures of all the flock with their various clones, including clones of me and Fang wearing badly hand-woven clothes. Which was odd. There pictures of things that would happen in the future, and other things that had already happened. There were pictures of dogs barking, and birds flying, and a Whitecoat with too-dark hair drinking coffee whilst making the occasional effort to read some sort of report.

Slowly the pictures began to fade into nothing, leaving nothing but pain behind. While my head hadn't hurt at all during the pictures, the throbbing pain was all I could feel now.

"Max!" The voice calling me was muzzy and distant, but it was impossible to tune out.

"Max!"

"_Max!"_

"_MAX!" _Then I realised that there was more than one voice shouting my name. I groaned, pulling my hands over my ears. Slowly, I began to remember what had been going on. But I had no memories of why I was lying down at the edge of the river, with an insanely sore head.

"Max! Max, are you ok?" I recognised this voice as Fang's, and then I realised that his arms were around me, lifting me up from my partially underwater and exceedingly uncomfortable position. My head was still throbbing.

"Max? Are you dead?" That was Nudge. I could hear her and Angel still flapping their wings, so I was guessing they were still in the air.

"MAX?!? Max answer me!!!" There was a strong note of hysteria in Fang's voice, and I could hear the others calling my name in the background too.

_I should really say something._

As soon as the thought occurred to me, I wondered why I hadn't thought of it sooner.

"I-I'm fine. Just-just my head…ow…" My voice came out weaker than usual, which annoyed me. I was really perfectly fine. Well, other than the throbbing pain, that is.

"Wow Max? Are you ok? I mean, like, you must've hit that tree _really_ hard. OMG are you ok? Why were you like _walking _in the river anyway though? Isn't that like a bad idea? Well, clearly it is, since you slipped and fell and hit your head and all, but why didn't you think of that sooner? But, like, you're ok now, right? That tree looks really hard, but then I guess all trees do really, don't they? Really though, I think-"

I never got to find out what exactly Nudge thought though, because someone had been amazing enough to cover her mouth.

I tried to remember what had happened. Nudge had said something about a tree. A tree? I didn't remember that at all. The last thing I remembered was seeing Nudge and Angel flying towards us, and me telling Iggy that there were no signs of Gazzy or Total. I didn't remember anything about a tree. But it made sense. It was just so _typical though_. I could fight five Erasers/Flyboys/whatever-type-of-robot-things-the-School-was-making-now and hold my own, but give me a tree? Oh no.

"What part of your head hurts?" Fang asked, cutting straight to the heart of the matter, whilst sounding surprisingly calm after how he'd sounded earlier.

"Umm…" Which part of my head hurt? I had no clue. It was hard to tell. "My forehead." I said eventually. Yeah, that sounded right.

I felt Fang picking me up, and carrying me in through the trees.

"Right…just sit here for a second, ok?" He put me sitting on a low hanging branch of a tree, about the same height from the ground as your average kitchen counter, the sort of branch that seems to have been specially designed to be a seat. I leaned my head against the tree trunk. Not the side of my head that was sore mind you, the other side, the right side.

"We should put something cold on her head." Iggy said, rummaging through his bag for a first-aid kit. Fang leaned down to his rucksack and pulled out a spare t-shirt and jeans.

"On it." He said. He disappeared through the none too large gap in the trees, going back to the river.

"What can we do?" Nudge asked frantically. My head was throbbing. Still.

"Good question." Iggy joked "What _can_ you do? Besides talk, that is." He pulled out the first-aid kit, at last. Nudge rolled her eyes.

"Seriously Ig."

"I was being serious…ok, Nudge, start reading these labels for me. Angel, ask Max questions, make sure she doesn't have concussion."

"What sort of questions?" Angel asked coming over to me.

"It's ok." Fang said, coming back. "I'll do it. You look after Akila. Make sure she doesn't run off or something." He promptly put something cold and wet on my forehead. The t-shirt he'd been wearing earlier. He was wearing the clean one, and the jeans too, 'cause the ones he'd been wearing were soaked. Which reminded me how wet _I_ was. There was not _one_ part of me that seemed to be even slightly dry.

"What's my name?" Fang asked me.

"Fang." I replied promptly, wondering why on earth he thought that there was even the vaguest possibility that there was _anything_ that could make me forget _his_ name.

"Who's missing?" I didn't even have to ask what his question was supposed to mean. The answer was heavily imprinted on my mind.

"Gazzy and Total."

"How old are you?" How was I supposed to know _that_? We didn't know when our birthdays were for crying out loud.

"Fourteen. Unless I'm fifteen by now, which is always a possibility."

"Ok. I don't _think_ you have concussion."

"Neither do I." Fang smiled one of his rare smiles, the sort that made everything seem better, even when my head hurt a thousand times more than it used to when I'd get one of those brain explosions.

"How about this?" I heard Nudge asking from behind Fang. "It's a cooling gel."

"Nope- that's for burns." Iggy replied promptly. I had no idea what they were looking for in that first-aid kit. They were hardly going to find an ice pack or something helpful like that now were they?

Fang carefully lifted the t-shirt of my head.

"Ugh." He said, "it's getting warm already. Angel? Will you try and get that cold again?" He asked, handing the soggy t-shirt to Angel.

"Sure!" She replied, happily abandoning her Akila-post. Fang carefully touched my forehead, so gently that I wouldn't have felt his fingers at all if it weren't for the fact that they were about ten times hotter than my forehead, and seemed to leave burning trails in their wake.

"Does that hurt?" He asked gently. I shook my head slightly.

"You're _really_ hot though."

_Oh. My. God. Please tell me I did _not _just say that._

Fang smirked, confirming that yes- I had just said what I thought I'd said. I could feel my cheeks burning a bright traffic-light-red.

_I really have to start thinking before I say things like that._

Eventually Fang broke the awkward silence that had grown between us.

"That's just 'cause your forehead's so cold." Thankfully, he decided not to refer to the double meaning of my words. Angel returned with the t-shirt at that moment, smiling rather more than was entirely necessary.

"I got the t-shirt all cold again." She said unnecessarily.

"Thanks." I said, taking it from her and putting it against my forehead again. Fang made no effort to move, he just continued standing there, leaning against my knees and much closer to me than was wholly necessary. Not that I had any objections, of course.

"How's your head?" He asked after several minutes.

"It's-" I didn't get a chance to pretend that my head was not horrifically painful though, because Nudge and Iggy had finally found something in the first-aid kit that might actually be somewhat useful.

"_PAINKILLERS! _At last!" Nudge squealed excitedly.

"Ok." Iggy said. "You go get a glass or a cup or a bucket or something of water and give those to Max, Angel, would you help me build a fire so we can eat at some stage in the near future? Fang would you please start asking Max questions again? I know she got the few you asked her right, but she could still have concussion." I rolled my eyes. So did Fang.

"Ok…" Fang said turning back to me, "what's your mom's name?"

"Dr Valencia Martinez."

"Sister?"

"Ella."

"Brother?"

"Ari- he's dead."

"Dad?"

"Jeb Batchelor. Wouldn't mind too much if he was dead." Fang smirked at that.

"Who's Jeb's boss?"

"Anne Walker. I'd love it if she was dead."

"Who was the last person that attacked us?"

"Person?"

"Or robot, thing or whatever."

"Us or me specifically?" Fang was clearly confused about where I was going with this.

"Either." He said after a short pause.

"Well the last person that attacked _us_ was that weird clone of you. The last thing that attacked _me_ was a tree." Fang chucked.

"I don't think the tree actually had anything against you, Max."

"I wouldn't be so sure if I were you." Fang smirked and shook his head, as though to say that I was being overly paranoid. Which I probably was.

"Fang!" Iggy said in frustration. "Ask her _questions_." Fang just rolled his eyes, before turning back to me.

"How did you know that the flock you were with a couple of days ago were clones?" I told him in great detail about the weird him, the weirder Iggy, and the downright _abnormal_ Gazzy. He smirked slightly and then asked "And how did you know the Nudge and me you found in that forest were clones?" I went bright red at that.

"I-how d'you know about that?" I asked accusingly.

"The clones all appear to have access to my blog. You should read it. Truly fascinating. So, are you going to answer?" I went redder, if that were possible.

"I-I didn't…umm…." I was saved from having to answer that question by the reappearance of Nudge with the painkillers. I took them gratefully, glad of the excuse to dodge the question.

"Angel?" I heard Iggy ask from beside the small fire. "Would you get some fish?"

"Yep." She replied happily, going back to the river. Off to force some fish to become suicidal, no doubt. I gave an involuntary shiver from my cold, wet state, which was annoying 'cause I'd been doing really well at hiding how cold I was. It wasn't _just_ my forehead that was freezing after all.

Fang reached out to take the cup of water from me, touching my hand in the process.

"Shit Max, you're freezing!" Quickly he moved from his position leaning against my legs and sat beside me on the branch. He wrapped his arms around me, rubbing my arms.

"Fang." I said sounding much more irritated than I actually was, "I'm fine. If you'd just let me go and put on some dry clothes, then it'd all be ok." I tried to sound very convincing- I actually didn't think that dry clothes would help very much at all. Fang just rolled his eyes at me, but seemed to agree that I should put on dry clothes.

"Nudge, would you grab some clothes for Max from her bag?" Nudge looked up and nodded.

"Sure! Max is, like, soaking! Why didn't you want her to be dry before now? That's just kinda…odd. D'you think she has pneumonia? You can get that from being all cold and wet you know. I don't think she has concussion though, 'cause she seems to remember everything that's going on, doesn't she? Anyway, Max d'you want a green top or a brown one? I think you should wear pink, but I can't find anything pink here…Why d'you never wear pink Max? It'd really suit you! Here, you can wear this…and this…but you only have the one pair of shoes, so you'll just have to deal with the wet ones. Though that probably isn't very good for you …it like gives you um…athletes foot? Or is it arthritis? Or rheumatism? Or mhphmff!" It was a relief when Iggy finally covered Nudge's mouth. I took the green tank top and jeans from Nudges outstretched arms, and slid off the tree branch.

"And where d'you think you're going?" Fang asked, hauling me back up beside him. I looked at him confusedly. He was the one who'd started this whole 'Max-must-put-on-dry-clothes' thing in the first place, after all. Or had that been me? Come to think of it, I wasn't actually so sure. Maybe I_ did_ have concussion…

"Um…To get changed?" I said, still unsure of what the problem was.

"Max, you could possibly have concussion, pneumonia, or…anything else…you could pass out at any given moment. So I'm not letting you out of my sight." I looked at him incredulously. What was he _on_?

"Fang. I'm _getting changed_. And its not gonna happen here."

"I'll close my eyes." He promised, his voice layered with sincerity.

"No you freaking _won't_." I pulled away from him, wishing I wasn't feeling so weak right now, because this would've been a _whole_ lot easier otherwise.

"Fine. Just don't go too far." I hurried deeper into the trees, wondering how long Fang would give me before he'd presume I'd fainted or crashed into another tree or something and decided to come looking for me.

'_Not very long…I'd hurry if I were you, Max.'_ I could almost hear Angel giggling in my head, which was…weird. Very, very weird.

I quickly pulled on the vaguely warm and very nearly dry clothes that Nudge had picked out for me. I didn't have any spare shoes, so I'd just have to let the ones I had dry off by the fire, same as what Iggy and Fang were doing. Hopefully it wouldn't take too long.

I came back into the clearing at the exact same time as Angel, who was carrying a bunch of fish she'd no doubt forced to commit suicide.

"Hey!" Angel said, mock-scowling at me, "I didn't _make_ them do _anything_. I just convinced them that they were depressed. Suicide was their own free choice." I rolled my eyes at her, while the rest of the flock (well the rest of the flock who were actually there at the time… Well not Iggy, but…still…) looked at us in absolute confusion.

Angel handed the fish to Iggy, who would have the indisputable _joy_ of gutting the fish. _Yuck._ I, meanwhile, hurried back to my branch before Fang decided that I'd forgotten where it was or something.

Fang came and sat beside me again and put his hand on my arm, probably trying to see if I had warmed up any. To be entirely honest, I didn't actually see what the problem was. Sure, we'd both nearly died of hypothermia back in Antarctica, hadn't we? And there was no way I'd come anywhere close to that here.

Fang, however, didn't seem to have thought of that. Once he'd confirmed that yes, I was still freezing, he pulled off his black hoodie and gave it to me.

"I'm really not that cold" I insisted, knowing that I was fighting a long-lost battle here. Fang just looked at me in a way that told me that I was just going to have to deal with wearing his hoodie until I warmed up a bit. Scowling at him, I pulled the jumper on. The first thing I noticed when I put it on was how warm it was. The second- it smelt _exactly_ like Fang.

I leaned my head on the tree trunk and closed my eyes, wanting nothing more than to doze off for a while before we ate.

"Max!" Fang nudged me. Hard. I opened me eyes and looked at him.

"What?" I asked irritatedly.

"Don't go to sleep." He said in a tone that suggested that I really shouldn't argue this point, "You could still have concussion." Oh yeah…I'd forgotten about that, what with the more recent Max-must-be-warm campaign.

I scowled at him, and reached over to grab his laptop, remembering that he'd said I should look at the blog.

He'd been right. It was really, truly, fascinating.

- - - - -

**3****rd**** Person, Basil POV**

Basil downed his fifth cup of coffee and once again tried to read the report. Suddenly he remembered the extra pay check he'd been receiving. He wondered if they'd give him a pay rise for not reading this report. Grinning at the thought, he picked up his phone. It was certainly worth checking, anyway.

- - - - -

**Max POV**

After we'd all eaten, I was feeling even sleepier. Fang however was still refusing to let me sleep. I was sure he was over-reacting.

The rest of the flock settled down to sleep, while Fang offered to keep watch.

"Oh come _on_. Me sleeping will _not_ cause _any_ problems." I insisted for what felt like the millionth time.

"No Max. Stay awake for at least a few more hours. Write a poem or something to keep you awake." Fang smirked slightly, before looking back at the screen of his laptop.

Write a poem? He had _got_ to be kidding.

Write a _poem?_ I shook my head slightly, trying to think of something I could do to keep myself properly awake.

_Write a poem._

Fine. I could _so_ do that.

- - - - -

God that chapter is long. I think you can all figure out why it took me so long to update now….

Before you go (and review) though I have a very important question- Does anyone know of any Frigid (FangxBrigid) fanfics? I've decided that that's my new favourite pairing, but I can't find any fics with that pairing. Anywhere. And it's incredibly frustrating. I'm probably just going to have to write one myself, but I'm convinced that I won't do the pairing justice. Don't worry though, I won't be bringing any Frigid into _this_ fanfic. It wouldn't really work, seeing as Brigid hasn't featured in this story so far…

Now review…_please???_

TTYL,

A.J.


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